| HS Code | 177032 |
| Product Name | Weak Cationic Cold-water Soft Flake ETS |
| Appearance | White or off-white flake |
| Ionicity | Weak cationic |
| Solubility | Soluble in cold water |
| Ph Value | 5.0-7.0 (1% aqueous solution) |
| Active Content | ≥90% |
| Moisture Content | ≤1.0% |
| Melting Point | 50-60°C |
| Recommended Dosage | 1-5 g/L |
| Application | Softening finishing for textiles |
| Packaging | 25 kg woven bag |
| Storage | Cool, dry, ventilated place |
| Shelf Life | 12 months |
As an accredited Weak Cationic Cold-water Soft Flake ETS factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Weak Cationic Cold-water Soft Flake ETS is supplied in 25 kg net weight moisture-proof woven bags with inner plastic liners. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | Weak Cationic Cold-water Soft Flake ETS loaded in 20′ FCL, palletized in moisture-proof bags, securely stowed and braced for transport. |
| Shipping | Ship in sealed, moisture-resistant packaging with clear labels. Transport in a cool, dry, ventilated vehicle, avoiding moisture, heat, and incompatible materials. Handle and document according to the SDS and applicable transport regulations. |
| Storage | Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated warehouse away from direct sunlight, heat, ignition sources, and moisture. Keep original containers tightly closed, labeled, and palletized off the floor. Prevent contact with strong oxidizers, acids, and incompatible chemicals. Use spill containment and follow SDS requirements. Maintain good housekeeping and inventory rotation to avoid excessive stock aging. Do not store near food or feed. |
| Shelf Life | Weak Cationic Cold-water Soft Flake ETS shelf life is about 12 months when stored sealed in original packaging, cool and dry. |
Substitution degree in the range of 0.025–0.040 quaternary ammonium groups per anhydroglucose unit places the weak cationic cold-water soft flake grade ETS at the low end of charge demand for papermaking wet ends. In fine paper and multiply board mills running deinked pulp or coated broke, the product is prepared at 5.0–8.0 wt% solids in cold water and post-diluted to 0.5–1.0 wt% before the fan pump. Addition on dry fibre typically ranges from 0.3–1.2 wt%, with upper limits constrained by anionic trash measured as cationic demand above 300 µeq/L at the headbox. The relevant food-contact framework is FDA 21 CFR 178.3520 for modified starch used in paper and paperboard, with end-use compliance under 21 CFR 176.170 and 21 CFR 176.180 for aqueous, fatty, and dry food packaging. European compliance is assessed under Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 and the BfR XXXVI recommendation for paper and board in food contact. The downstream process is continuous from pulper through a disc or conical refiner, machine chest, fan pump, pressure screen, and headbox onto a fourdrinier or gap former. The starch flake is hydrated without cooking; a make-down skid with an eductor, 45°C maximum water temperature, and a low-shear stirrer prevents lumping. Published mill data for cationic starch in similar furnishes indicate first-pass retention improvements commonly in the range of 6–12 percentage points and tensile index gains of 8–15% at 0.8 wt% on ISO 5269-2 handsheets. Terminal products include copy paper, envelope stock, multiply folding carton board, and gypsum liner. The main failure mode is charge overcompensation: above approximately 1.5 wt% on a low-demand furnish, headbox zeta potential moves toward neutral or positive, destabilizing retention and generating foam at the wire pit. The starch should be avoided in furnishes already containing high-charge-density cationic polyelectrolytes, because competitive adsorption onto fibre fines can produce patch-charge flocculation losses.
At rod-metering size presses operating above 850 m/min, viscosity stability under shear rates of 10⁴–10⁵ s⁻¹ determines whether the film splits uniformly across the web. Weak cationic cold-water soft flake ETS is typically dispersed at 6.0–9.0 wt% solids in a secondary starch kitchen; after hydration for 20–30 min at 40–50°C, the solution is transferred to the size press run tank at 4.0–6.5 wt% solids. The addition rate, expressed as dry starch pickup, is 0.6–1.2 g/m² per side on fine paper and 1.0–2.0 g/m² per side on recycled liner. The relevant food-contact and analytical framework includes FDA 21 CFR 178.3520 and 21 CFR 176.170 for dry and aqueous food packaging, ISO 535 for water absorption, ISO 3783 for surface strength by IGT, and ISO 5636-3 for air permeability. The downstream surface sizing process for uncoated woodfree or recycled liner uses a film press or metering size press between the after-dryer and final dryer sections. The starch solution is screened through 100–150 µm pressure screens before the press; use of an in-line viscometer with a target of 200–350 mPa·s at 50°C prevents blade-metering streaks. Terminal types include high-speed inkjet paper, white-top testliner, sack paper, and pre-print corrugated liner. Shear stability issues arise when pumps with high recirculation and long run tanks maintain temperature above 60°C, leading to molecular scission and loss of film-forming capability. Silicone-based antifoams must be limited because residual defoamer has caused fisheye defects at the size press on coated-free and supercalendered grades.
Slashing of Ne 40–Ne 80 combed cotton and polyester/cotton warp yarn at 70–110 m/min requires a low-charge starch ether that provides film adhesion without excessive size-box viscosity. The cold-water soft flake is added to the size mix at 3.0–6.0 wt% of total formulation solids, with a total size mix solids target of 8.0–12.0 wt%. In a typical formulation, the flake starch replaces 20–35% of native starch or polyvinyl alcohol, while wax-based lubricants remain at 0.5–1.0 wt% on size solids. Compliance is governed by ZDHC MRSL Version 3.1 for restricted substances applied at mill level, EU REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 Annex 4 for finished fabric residues; desized effluent is assessed under ISO 11733 for aerobic biodegradation in activated sludge. The downstream process is warp sizing on a multi-cylinder slasher or box-sizing machine: the size liquor is prepared in a high-shear mixer at 50–60°C, passed through a 75 µm filter, and supplied to the size box; after squeezing to a pickup of 80–110% wet-on-dry, the warp sheet is dried over polytetrafluoroethylene-coated cylinders at 110–130°C. Terminal products include plain-weave sheeting, chambray, pocketing, and dyed twill workwear. Because retrogradation tendency of the weak cationic flake is lower than native starch at room temperature, the size mix remains usable for 6–8 h without cooking, but holding beyond 12 h in a warm size box can reduce film flexibility and increase warp breakage at the reed by 3–5% per shift.
In low-turbidity, low-alkalinity surface water with soluble reactive phosphorus below 0.15 mg/L, weak cationic starch flocculants are used as a settling aid in combination with aluminium-based coagulants. The flake is hydrated as a 0.05–0.20 wt% stock solution and metered into the rapid-mix discharge at 0.2–1.5 mg/L active dose on raw water flow; jar testing per ASTM D2035-19 establishes the dose-response curve. Compliance for potable treatment is assessed under NSF/ANSI/CAN 60 for treatment chemicals, and the relevant European framework is Directive (EU) 2020/2184 Article 12 for materials and chemicals in contact with drinking water. The downstream process proceeds from raw water intake through a flash mixer with 30–60 s detention at G = 300–600 s⁻¹, then two-stage flocculation with 10–20 min total detention, a plate settler at 4–8 m/h surface loading, and dual-media filtration. Terminal products include treated public water, industrial process water, and reverse osmosis pre-treatment feed. The main failure is overdosing above 2.5 mg/L, which raises filter effluent turbidity because residual cationic charge destabilises the filter bed. Published data for this specific low-charge flake in full-scale drinking water plants is limited; bench-scale dose verification is required before any permanent dosing point is commissioned.
Green bond deficiency on the double backer at 180–280 m/min is frequently traced to carrier starch viscosity drift after prolonged recirculation. The weak cationic cold-water soft flake is incorporated into the adhesive preparation as a cold-water swellable carrier at 10–20 wt% of total starch solids, with total adhesive solids maintained at 22–27 wt%. Borax addition is adjusted to 0.3–0.8 wt% of the fluid adhesive, and caustic soda to 0.2–0.5 wt%; viscosity at the glue roll is targeted at 300–600 mPa·s Brookfield at 25°C. Compliance under FDA 21 CFR 175.105 applies to the adhesive as an indirect food-contact substance, while Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 and Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 govern migration from the finished corrugated board. The downstream process is continuous at the corrugator: starch adhesive is transferred from a natural-starch suspension tank to a secondary mixer where the soft flake is hydrated, filtered through a 500 µm screen, and delivered to the single facer and double backer glue pans. Terminal products include regular slotted containers, die-cut mailers, and high-edge-crush board for e-commerce packaging. The main operational boundary is cold-water gelation rate: at make-up water below 15°C, hydration time must be extended to 25–35 min or undispersed flake accumulates on the doctor blade and causes skip adhesions. Borax tolerance is limited; above 0.8 wt%, the weak cationic starch can gel too rapidly and reduce open time at the double backer to less than 45 s.
Formulating a barrier coating for grease-resistant paper with weak cationic flake starch requires substitution of styrene-butadiene latex only within a narrow window because the starch increases water sensitivity while reducing coating colour cost. The soft flake is hydrated separately at 10–15 wt% solids and added to the coating colour after kaolin or calcium carbonate dispersion; addition is 2.0–4.0 parts per 100 parts dry pigment, replacing 10–20% of the latex binder on a dry-weight basis. Compliance for finished paper is anchored to FDA 21 CFR 176.170 and 21 CFR 178.3520 for food-contact paper, with grease resistance measured by TAPPI T 559 and moisture vapour transmission rate by ISO 2528. The downstream process is rod or blade coating at 800–1200 m/min, followed by infrared drying and air-flotation drying to a sheet moisture content below 6.0 wt%. Terminal products include sandwich wrap, bakery interleaving, barrier liner for dry pet food, and folding cartons requiring a KIT rating of 5–8. The process conflict is open time on the coater: above 4.0 parts starch per 100 parts pigment, low-shear viscosity increases and the coating colour loses leveling under blade pressure, while moisture vapour transmission rises above typical barrier requirements. Published data for this specific configuration is limited; pilot coater trials with the actual base sheet and latex grade are required before mill-scale conversion.
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Weak Cationic Cold-water Soft Flake ETS is a concentrated esterquat-type textile finishing agent supplied in flake form and designed for low-temperature dispersion in mill water. The model designation ETS identifies the weak cationic cold-water-dispersible flake within the manufacturer’s softener portfolio. The product is typically converted into a 5–10 % w/w stock dispersion at 25–35 °C using a high-shear tank or recirculation pump before being metered into exhaust or pad finishing processes. In exhaust application, the normal addition window is 1–3 % owf on dry fiber weight. In padding, the working concentration is generally 20–40 g/L, adjusted for fabric pick-up and target handle. The weak cationic charge density is intentionally lower than that of conventional dialkyl dimethyl quaternary softeners to reduce interference with residual anionic dyestuffs, optical brighteners, and polymerized anionic detergents. Because the flake form contains less water than paste or emulsion alternatives, transport mass and storage volume per unit active content are reduced, and the product does not require pre-dilution into a solvent or warm-water premix before addition to cold process water.
The active matter is built on an alkyl ester quaternary backbone, which is susceptible to hydrolytic degradation under hot acidic or strongly alkaline conditions. This weak cationic structure delivers handle primarily through adsorption onto negatively charged fiber surfaces, with a lower critical coagulation concentration toward anionic auxiliaries than strong cationic benzalkonium or tallow quaternary flake types. A laboratory zeta-potential screening in 0.1 % dispersion at 25 °C and pH 5.5 is used to monitor charge reversal on cotton; published data for this specific configuration is limited. In practical terms, the product should be added only after dyestuff fixation and after the final rinse in exhaust dyeing to minimize precipitation with hydrolyzed reactive dye residues.
Suitability extends to cotton, viscose, modal, lyocell, and their blends with polyester or elastane. On chlorine-fastness critical goods, the product does not contribute to absorbable organically bound chlorine because it contains no organically bound chlorine. AOX in spent bath water after application at 3 % owf is below 0.5 mg/L by EN 1485. On dark shades, wet-rub fastness after finishing is maintained at grade 3–4 or higher according to ISO 105-X12 when the softener is applied after a reactive dye wash-off sequence that leaves less than 0.1 g/L residual hydrolyzed dye.
Anionic auxiliaries present in the residual dyebath can form ion pairs with cationic softeners, leading to filter-clogging precipitates, uneven handle, and reduced colorfastness. Weak Cationic Cold-water Soft Flake ETS shows a narrower precipitation zone than strong cationic flake products because the charge density is lower and the esterquat hydrophobe is less strongly associated with sulfonate or sulfate groups. In a compatibility test based on 0.5 g/L commercial linear alkylbenzene sulfonate at 25 °C, the dispersion remains opalescent without visible sedimentation for at least 30 min; with a strong cationic control, flocculation begins within 5 min. This allows the ETS flake to be introduced in the final rinse after reactive, direct, or disperse dyeing of cotton, viscose, modal, and polyester/cellulose blends without a demanding two-bath sequence.
Nevertheless, simultaneous mixing with anionic brightening agents or naphthalene sulfonate dispersants is not recommended. Mill experience on a 1:5 liquor ratio jet dyeing machine with 100 % cotton single jersey showed that a 2 % owf application after a clear overflow rinse and before the extraction step caused no visible filter accumulation on 100 µm chamber screens after 12 batches. Residual anionic dyes in the drained bath were less than 0.05 % of the original dose, measured by absorbance at λmax, before softener addition.
For garment finishing, a 5 % stock dispersion is prepared at 25 °C and dosed directly into the final softening bath of a front-loading garment washer running at low speed. A typical bath is set at a liquor ratio of 1:6 to 1:8, pH 5.0–5.5 with acetic acid, and a product concentration of 0.5–1.5 % by weight of garment. Treatment time is 10–15 min at 30–40 °C. The weak cationic nature permits application to denim and dyed cotton trousers after enzyme deactivation and rinsing without producing the harsh surface feel associated with strong cationic wet-to-wet deposition on pigment-dyed areas.
When the flake is added to cold water under recirculation, initial hydration begins at the flake surface, and platelet fragments release into the aqueous phase. A laboratory low-shear paddle test at 300 rpm in 25 °C deionized water yields a homogeneous milky stock dispersion in approximately 20–30 min at 5 % w/w. At 10 °C, hydration time extends beyond 45 min, and static or low-turbulence addition may produce soft agglomerates that are not re-dispersed by gentle stirring. For this reason, the product is best introduced through a dosing hopper into a high-shear mixing tank or an inline rotor-stator mixer set to a tip speed of 10–15 m/s.
After dispersion, a particle size distribution with D90 typically below 20 µm is observed by laser diffraction; this is sufficiently fine to avoid nozzle shear instability in jet machines and pad trough sedimentation. Filtration through 80 µm line strainers is recommended between the stock tank and dosing pump. In field audits, batch-to-batch variation of stock dispersion viscosity at 25 °C is controlled within ±15 % by adjusting water hardness not exceeding 300 mg/L CaCO₃. At higher hardness, a small amount of chelating agent may be added to prevent calcium soap bridging.
When the product is run on a continuous pad-dry line, the pad bath is prepared at 20–40 g/L product, 0.5–1 g/L of a nonionic wetting agent, and acetic acid to pH 5.0–5.5. A two-bowl horizontal padder set to a liquor pick-up of 70–80 % on cotton twill delivers the product evenly when the bath is circulated with a low-shear centrifugal pump. In an 8 h production window, the pad bath remains free from oiling or sediment when the initial water temperature is 25 °C and evaporation is controlled by sealed dosing tanks. Turbidity after 6 h at 25 °C is typically below 50 NTU for a 30 g/L bath based on ISO 7027:1999.
Drying on a stenter frame is normally set between 100 °C and 130 °C for 45–90 s. Prolonged curing above 160 °C is not recommended because the ester linkages in the quaternary structure can undergo acid-catalyzed hydrolysis, reducing softness and increasing free amine odor. On white goods, phenolic yellowing risk after heat exposure is determined by ISO 105-X18:2007, with results maintained at grade 4 or better at 30 g/L on bleached cotton sheeting in mill testing.
The product is intended for industrial textile finishing. It is not offered for direct food-contact use and no claim is made under FDA 21 CFR 176.170 or 176.180. Heavy-metal content is controlled by the supplier to below 1 mg/kg for cadmium, lead, mercury, and hexavalent chromium via ICP-OES. The product is manufactured under a REACH-registered substance framework, and the formulated preparation is classified according to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008; the supplier safety data sheet should be consulted for exposure limits and personal protective equipment. Inherent biodegradability according to OECD 301B is reported as 60–70 % degradation within 28 days.
| Parameter | Specification / acceptance range | Test method / instrument |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Off-white to pale yellow flakes | Visual inspection |
| Ionic character | Weak cationic | Charge titration / particle charge detector |
| pH at 1 % aqueous dispersion | 4.5–6.0 | ISO 4316 |
| Cationic active content | 90–94 % w/w | ISO 2871-2 |
| Moisture content | ≤ 10 % w/w | ISO 760 |
| Bulk density, untapped | 0.55–0.70 g/cm³ | ISO 60 |
| Cold-water dispersibility | Complete dispersion at 25 °C, 5 % w/w in 30 min | Low-shear paddle stirrer, 300 rpm |
| Softening point / melting range | 48–52 °C | ASTM E28-18 |
Compared with strong cationic flake softeners, Weak Cationic Cold-water Soft Flake ETS has a lower charge density, which translates into lower yellowing after heat treatment and lower quenching of stilbene-based optical brighteners. Compared with nonionic fatty alcohol or fatty acid condensates, the product develops a softer, drape-like handle at lower add-on because electrostatic attraction to the fiber surface increases exhaustion. Compared with aminosilicone macroemulsions, the ETS flake provides less slick surface lubrication but greater rewet and minimal seam-sealing tendency in high-speed making-up operations.
In comparative lab testing on combed cotton interlock at 2 % owf, the wetting time after finishing was 3.5 s for ETS flake, 6.0 s for a strong cationic control, 2.5 s for a nonionic control, and 9.0 s for an aminosilicone control using AATCC TM 79. Published data for this specific configuration is limited to internal laboratory reports.
| Property / application | Weak Cationic Cold-water Soft Flake ETS | Strong cationic flake softener | Nonionic fatty condensate | Aminosilicone macroemulsion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ionic character | Weak cationic | Strong cationic | Nonionic | Weak cationic/nonionic emulsion |
| Cold-water dispersion at 25 °C | Complete at 5 % | Requires premix at 55–60 °C | Usually dispersible | Water-dilutable |
| Anionic brightener compatibility | Moderate | Low | Good | Moderate |
| Heat-yellowing risk, 150 °C, ISO 105-X18 | Low-moderate | Moderate | Low | Low-moderate |
| Handle profile on cotton | Soft, drape | Surface soft, slightly waxy | Dry, slightly lean | Smooth, silky |
| Typical padding add-on | 20–40 g/L | 10–20 g/L | 20–30 g/L | 5–15 g/L |
Operational boundaries include avoiding pH below 3.5 for extended periods, because acid hydrolysis of the esterquat reduces active content and increases free fatty acid odor. The product should not be combined with strong oxidizing agents, such as chlorine bleach, in the same bath. When stored in unopened, moisture-proof bags below 35 °C and 60 % relative humidity, shelf life is 12 months. Flakes compact under high stacking weight; pallet stacking above 3 pallets is not advised because hydration and dispensing take longer if the flake mass has been compressed. In tropical humid environments, bags should be resealed immediately after use.
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