Compositions containing one or more poly alpha-1,3-glucan ether compounds
Compositions comprising cellulase and at least one poly alpha-1,3-glucan ether compound having a degree of substitution with an organic group of about 0.05-3.0 are disclosed. Such compositions can be dry or aqueous, the latter of which can have a viscosity of at least about 10 cPs. The disclosed composition can be in the form of a personal care product, household product, or industrial product, for example. Also disclosed are a method for preparing an aqueous composition comprising cellulase and a poly alpha-1,3-glucan ether compound, and a method of treating a material such as fabric by contacting it with this aqueous composition.
1. A composition comprising a cellulase and a poly alpha-1,3-glucan compound comprising the structure:
wherein
(i) n is at least 6,
(ii) each R is independently H or an organic group, wherein at least one R is an organic group,
(iii) the poly alpha-1,3-glucan compound has a degree of substitution of about 0.05 to about 3.0 with the organic group, and
(iv) at least 90% of the glycosidic linkages of the poly alpha-1,3-glucan compound are alpha-1,3 glycosidic linkages.
2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the organic group is selected from the group consisting of carboxy alkyl, hydroxy alkyl, and alkyl.
3. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the organic group is selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl, hydroxypropyl, dihydroxypropyl, hydroxyethyl, methyl, and ethyl.
4. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the organic group is a carboxymethyl group.
5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is in the form of a personal care product, household product, or industrial product.
6. The composition of claim 5 , wherein the composition is a fabric care product.
7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is an aqueous composition.
8. The composition of claim 7 , wherein the composition has a viscosity of at least about 10 centipoise.
9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein at least 95% of the glycosidic linkages of the poly alpha-1,3-glucan compound are alpha-1,3 glycosidic linkages.
10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the poly alpha-1,3-glucan compound has one or more of the same organic group.
11. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the poly alpha-1,3-glucan compound has two or more different organic groups.
12. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a surfactant.
13. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises less than 1 part-per-million of the cellulase.
14. A method for preparing an aqueous composition, the method comprising:
contacting an aqueous composition with a poly alpha-1,3-glucan compound comprising the structure:
wherein
(i) n is at least 6,
(ii) each R is independently H or an organic group, wherein at least one R is an organic group,
(iii) the poly alpha-1,3-glucan compound has a degree of substitution of about 0.05 to about 3.0 with the organic group, and
(iv) at least 90% of the glycosidic linkages of the poly alpha-1,3-glucan compound are alpha-1,3 glycosidic linkages;
and wherein the aqueous composition prepared in said method comprises a cellulase.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said cellulase is:
(i) comprised in the aqueous composition prior to said contacting step, or
(ii) added to the aqueous composition during or after said contacting step.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
(i) the viscosity of the aqueous composition is increased by said poly alpha-1,3-glucan compound, and/or
(ii) the shear thinning behavior or the shear thickening behavior of the aqueous composition is increased by said poly alpha-1,3-glucan compound.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein at least 95% of the glycosidic linkages of the poly alpha-1,3-glucan compound are alpha-1,3 glycosidic linkages.
18. A method of treating a material, said method comprising:
contacting the material with a composition according to claim 7 .
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the material comprises fabric.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the fabric comprises a (i) natural fiber, (ii) synthetic fiber, or a combination of both (i) and (ii).
21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the poly alpha-1,3-glucan compound adsorbs to the fabric.
22. The method of claim 18 , wherein at least 95% of the glycosidic linkages of the poly alpha-1,3-glucan compound are alpha-1,3 glycosidic linkages.