Patented Sept.

16, 1947 2,427,642

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

RAPIDLY soLUBLE TETRAsopUM
PYROPHOSPHATE
Adam G. Aitchison, Westfield, N.J., assignor to
Westvaco Chlorine Products Corporation, New
York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware
No Drawing. Application May 28, 1942,
Serial No. 444,886
2 Claims. (C. 23-0)
1 2
This invention relates to phosphate products As an example of the method of preparation,
and more particularly it relates to an improved I sprayed 337 pounds of anhydrous tetrasodium
tetraSodium pyrophosphate product. pyrophosphate comminuted to about 95 percent
Tetrasodium pyrophosphate (Na4P2O7) has a minus 100 mesh with 116 pounds of water Over a,
variety of uses including application as a deter 5 period of 1.75 hours in a dough type mixer. The
gent, Wetting agent, emulsifying and deflocculat final product contained 22 percent water. There
ing agent, builder in Soap, and other similar ap was a loss of water during the operation of ap
plications. For these uses it is ordinarily sold as proximately 24 pounds. The product was
powdered anhydrous tetrasodium pyrophosphate screened to remove lumps leaving a finely divided
(Na4P2O7) or as tetrasodium pyrophosphate dec 0 solid product which was rapidly soluble in water
ahydrate (Na4P2O7·10H2O). In either of these and was suitable for use as a detergent and for
forms the product is subject to certain disad water softening. It is also satisfactory to add the
vantages. The powdered anhydrous tetrasodium water to a granular anhydrous material and to
pyrophosphate is difficultly soluble and tends to grind after hydration to the desired degree of
ball up when brought in contact with water. On 5 fineness.
the other hand, the decahydrate is easily soluble The partially hydrated product has a number
but it contains considerable water so that it is of advantages. It is as soluble as tetrasodium
necessary to use considerably more of it than of pyrophosphate decahydrate but may be prepared
the anhydrous product. Also, the decahydrate is more cheaply since an expensive crystallizing
more expensive per unit of Na4P2O7 than the an 20 operation is avoided. For most applications the
hydrous material. product is used as a powder. It is also more sat
Accordingly, among the objects achieved by isfactory than the decahydrate because less ma
my invention is a new, free flowing, readily solu terial is required for a unit of P2O5 and Shipping
ble tetrasodium pyrophosphate product. Another costs are lower.
object achieved is a process for making a par 25 It is believed that the product consists of tetra
tially hydrated, powdered tetrasodium pyrophos sodium pyrophosphate decahydrate and anyhy
phate product. Still another object achieved by drous tetrasodium pyrophosphate particles inti
my invention is the provision of a cheap tetra mately admixed. When no tetrasodium pyro
sodium pyrophosphate product in powder form phosphate decahydrate particles are present the
that is Suitable for water treatment applications 30 particles in the product tend to adhere tightly
and for incorporation in dry detergent products. to adjacent particles forming a closely packed
ball. The decahydrate particles in my product
I have discovered that anhydrous tetrasodium.
pyrophOSphate is rendered readily soluble in wa serve to baffle the anhydrous particles and the
ter and free flowing if a controlled amount of aggregates are prevented from growing by the
water is added to it. I have found that a rate 35 hydrate crystals. The effect may be described as
of solubility equivalent to that of the decahydrate a protective shell of hydrated particles Sur
and approximately twice that of the anhydrous rounding the anhydrous ones, preventing the
material can be secured if tetrasodium pyrophos formation of aggregates of anhydrous particles.
phate is partially hydrated within the range of What I claim is:
15-30 percent water. A product which is satis 40 1. As a new composition of natter, powdered
factory generally for most applications contains anhydrous tetrasodium pyrophosphate, contain
about 20 percent water, and this is my preferred ing sufficient tetrasodium pyrophosphate decahy
composition. drate formed in situ on the anhydrous material
The partially hydrated product is prepared by so that the total content of combined water in
spraying a predetermined quantity of water with 45 the composition is within the range of 15 to 30
in the limits of 15-30 percent into comminuted percent by weight.
anhydrous tetrasodium pyrophOSphate. The hy 2. The method of preparing an improved tet
dration may be carried on batchWise using a rasodium pyrophosphate composition which
suitable type of dry mixer but I prefer to hydrate comprises adding from 10 to 30% of water to an
continuously in a screw conveyor spraying the 50 hydrous tetrasodium pyrophosphate during agir
water into the material as it passes through the tation of the anhydrous tetraSodium pyrophos
conveyor, phate and forming the partially hydrated tetra

Hm
 2,427,642
sodium pyrophosphate into a powder of the de- Number Name Date
sired degree of fineness. 2,244,158 Hubbard et al. ------ June 3, 1941
ADAM G. AITCH ISON. 2,032,388 Allen -------------- March 3, 1936
2,326,949 Kepfer ------------- Aug. 17, 1943
REFERENCES CTED 5 OTHER REFERENCES
The following references are of record in the Mellor, "Treatise on Inorganic and Theoretical
file of this patent: Chemistry,’ vol. II, page 863 (Longmans, New
York, 1922).
Number
UNITEDName
STATES PATENTS Date 10 Merck Index, 5th edition, page 518 (Merck &
Co., Rahway, N. J., 1940).
1,700,116 Blunrich ---------- Jan. 29, 1929 Gmelin, “Handbuch der Anorganischen Che
1,979,926 Zinn ---------------- Nov. 6, 1934 mie,” 8 Auflage; Teil 21; page 913 (Berlin, 1928).