Abstract: A process and apparatus for the enzymatic degradation of a cellulosic substrate is disclosed. The process comprises agitating a composition with milling particles, wherein the milling particles are or comprise a lignocellulosic material and wherein the composition comprises: a. the cellulosic substrate; b. a cellulase enzyme; and c. a liquid medium.

Abstract: A method for cleaning a substrate which is or comprises a textile, the method comprising agitating the substrate and a cleaning composition comprising: i. cleaning particles comprising a thermoplastic polyamide and a hydrophilic material at least part of which is located inside the cleaning particle, said cleaning particles having an average particle size of from 1 to 100 mm; and ii. a liquid medium. An apparatus suitable for performing said method comprising a rotatable cleaning chamber and a particle storage tank containing the cleaning particles. Use of the cleaning particles for cleaning a substrate which is or comprises a textile.

Abstract: The invention provides a cleaning formulation comprising a multiplicity of solid cleaning particles, wherein the solid cleaning particles comprise polymeric particles and at least one cleaning agent, wherein the at least one cleaning agent is immobilised on the surface of the polymeric particles. Typically the at least one cleaning agent is immobilised on the surface of the polymeric particles by means of chemical bonds, typically ionic bonds, hydrogen bonds, covalent bonds, polar bonds, or bonds formed by virtue of unequal charge distributions between polymeric particles and immobilised materials. The invention also provides a method for the cleaning of a substrate, the method comprising the treatment of the substrate with a formulation according to the invention, and a method for the preparation of the cleaning formulation of the invention which comprises treating a multiplicity of polymeric particles with at least one cleaning agent.

Abstract: Methods for cleaning at least one soiled substrate in a rotatably mounted cylindrical drum of a cleaning apparatus with a multiplicity of solid particles are provided. One method includes the steps of: agitating the at least one soiled substrate in the drum with wash liquor and the multiplicity of solid particles for a first cleaning cycle wherein the wash liquor includes at least one cleaning agent; draining the wash liquor from the cleaning apparatus; and introducing an aqueous non-detergent medium into the cleaning apparatus and agitating the at least one soiled substrate with the multiplicity of solid particles in the drum for a second cleaning cycle. Another method includes rotating the drum such that the at least one soiled substrate moves about a generally circular path and introducing the multiplicity of solid particles into the drum through an annulus defined by the generally circular path as the drum rotates.

Abstract: A method for cleaning a substrate which is or comprises a textile, the method comprising agitating the substrate and a cleaning composition comprising: i. cleaning particles comprising a thermoplastic polyamide and a hydrophilic material at least part of which is located inside the cleaning particle, said cleaning particles having an average particle size of from 1 to 100 mm; and ii. a liquid medium. An apparatus suitable for performing said method comprising a rotatable cleaning chamber and a particle storage tank containing the cleaning particles. Use of the cleaning particles for cleaning a substrate which is or comprises a textile.

Abstract: The invention provides a formulation and method for the treatment of a substrate, the method comprising the treatment of the substrate with the formulation, the formulation comprising a multiplicity of solid cleaning particles and a multiplicity of dosing particles, wherein the dosing particles comprise at least one host material and at least one releasable material, wherein the host material comprises at least one partially or completely water soluble polymeric material and the at least one releasable material comprises at least one cleaning or post-cleaning agent or other treatment additive for the treatment of the substrate. The method and formulation are advantageously applied to the cleaning of textile fabrics.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for the cleaning of a soiled substrate, the method comprising treating the substrate with a solid particulate cleaning material and wash water, the treatment being carried out in an apparatus comprising a drum comprising perforated side walls and having a capacity of between 5 and 50 liters for each kg of fabric in the washload, wherein said solid particulate cleaning material comprises a multiplicity of polymeric particles at a particle to fabric addition level of 0.1:1-10:1 by mass, each particle being substantially cylindrical or spherical in shape and having an average density in the range of 0.5-2.5 g/cm3 and an average volume in the range of 5-275 mm3, and wherein said drum comprising perforated side walls is rotated at a speed which generates G forces in the range of from 0.05 to 900 G. The polymeric particles may comprise foamed or unfoamed polymeric materials which may comprise either linear or crosslinked polymers.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for the cleaning of a soiled substrate, the method comprising treating the substrate with a non-polymeric solid particulate cleaning material and wash water, the treatment being carried out in an apparatus comprising a drum comprising perforated side walls and having a capacity of between 5 and 50 liters for each kg of fabric in the washload, wherein the solid particulate cleaning material comprises a multiplicity of non-polymeric particles at a particle to fabric addition level of 0.1:1-10:1 by mass, each of the particles being substantially cylindrical or spherical in shape, and wherein the drum comprising perforated side walls is rotated at a speed which generates G forces in the range of from 0.05 to 900 G. The non-polymeric particles may comprise particles of glass, silica, stone, wood, or any of a variety of metals or ceramic materials.

Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus and method for use in the cleaning of soiled substrates, the apparatus including housing means having a first upper chamber having mounted therein a rotatably mounted cylindrical cage and a second lower chamber located beneath the cylindrical cage; at least one recirculation means; access means; pumping means and a multiplicity of delivery means, wherein the rotatably mounted cylindrical cage includes a drum including perforated side walls wherein up to 60% of the surface area of the side walls includes perforations and the perforations include holes having a diameter of no greater than 25.0 mm. The method carried out by the apparatus involves cleaning a soiled substrate by treatment of the moistened substrate with a formulation including solid particulate cleaning material and wash water.

Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus and method for use in the cleaning of soiled substrates, the apparatus including housing means having a first upper chamber having mounted therein a rotatably mounted cylindrical cage and a second lower chamber located beneath the cylindrical cage; at least one recirculation means; access means; pumping means and a multiplicity of delivery means, wherein the rotatably mounted cylindrical cage includes a drum including perforated side walls wherein up to 60% of the surface area of the side walls includes perforations and the perforations include holes having a diameter of no greater than 25.0 mm. The method carried out by the apparatus involves cleaning a soiled substrate by treatment of the moistened substrate with a formulation including solid particulate cleaning material and wash water.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and formulation for cleaning a soiled substrate, the method comprising the treatment of the moistened substrate with a formulation comprising a multiplicity of polymeric particles, wherein the polymeric particles comprise at least one antimicrobial agent. Preferably, the substrate is wetted so as to achieve a substrate to water ratio of between 1:0.1 to 1:5 w/w. Optionally, the formulation additionally comprises at least one additional cleaning agent, and in this embodiment, it is preferred that the polymeric particles are mixed with the at least one additional cleaning agent. Preferably, the additional cleaning material comprises a surfactant, which most preferably has detergent properties. Most preferably, the substrate comprises a textile fiber. Typically, the polymeric particles comprise particles of polyester or nylon, most preferably in the form of beads.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for cleaning a soiled substrate, the method comprising the treatment of the moistened substrate with a formulation comprising a multiplicity of polymeric particles, wherein the polymeric particles are applied in combination with a detergent formulation, the method being characterized in that the detergent formulation is divided into its separate chemical constituents and these chemical constituents are added at different times during the wash cycle. The method allows for improved cleaning with reduced overall chemical loading, and facilitates addition of the more expensive parts of the formulations when they are most effective for cleaning performance, thereby providing considerable cost savings in comparison with conventional all-in-one detergent formulations. A method for cleaning the polymeric particles is also provided.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and formulation for cleaning a soiled substrate, the method comprising the treatment of the moistened substrate with a formulation comprising a multiplicity of polymeric particles, wherein the polymeric particles comprise at least one antimicrobial agent. Preferably, the substrate is wetted so as to achieve a substrate to water ratio of between 1:0.1 to 1:5 w/w. Optionally, the formulation additionally comprises at least one additional cleaning agent, and in this embodiment, it is preferred that the polymeric particles are mixed with the at least one additional cleaning agent. Preferably, the additional cleaning material comprises a surfactant, which most preferably has detergent properties. Most preferably, the substrate comprises a textile fibre. Typically, the polymeric particles comprise particles of polyester or nylon, most preferably in the form of beads.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for the drying of a wet substrate, the method comprising treating the substrate with a solid particulate material at ambient or elevated temperature, the treatment being carried out in an apparatus comprising a drum comprising perforated side walls, wherein the drum comprising perforated side walls is rotated so as to facilitate increased mechanical action between the substrate and the particulate material. Preferably, the drum comprising perforated side walls has a capacity of between 5 and 50 liters for each kg of fabric in the load and is rotated at a speed which generates G forces in the range of from 0.05 to 0.99 G, and the method is carried out at a temperature of between 5° and 120° C. Preferably, the solid particulate material comprises a multiplicity of particles at a particle to fabric addition level of 0.1:1-10:1 by mass, wherein the particles comprise polymeric particles, non-polymeric particles, or mixtures of polymeric and non-polymeric particles.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and formulation for cleaning a soiled substrate, the method comprising the treatment of the moistened substrate with a formulation comprising a multiplicity of polymeric particles, wherein the polymeric particles comprise at least one antimicrobial agent. Preferably, the substrate is wetted so as to achieve a substrate to water ratio of between 1:0.1 to 1:5 w/w. Optionally, the formulation additionally comprises at least one additional cleaning agent and, in this embodiment, it is preferred that the polymeric particles are mixed with the at least one additional cleaning agent. Preferably, the additional cleaning material comprises a surfactant, which most preferably has detergent properties. Most preferably, the substrate comprises a textile fiber. Typically, the polymeric particles comprise particles of polyester or nylon, most preferably in the form of beads.

Abstract: The invention provides a formulation and method for the treatment of a substrate, the method comprising the treatment of the substrate with the formulation, the formulation comprising a multiplicity of solid cleaning particles and a multiplicity of dosing particles, wherein the dosing particles comprise at least one host material and at least one releasable material, wherein the host material comprises at least one partially or completely water soluble polymeric material and the at least one releasable material comprises at least one cleaning or post-cleaning agent or other treatment additive for the treatment of the substrate. The method and formulation are advantageously applied to the cleaning of textile fabrics.

Abstract: The invention provides a cleaning formulation comprising a multiplicity of solid cleaning particles, wherein the solid cleaning particles comprise polymeric particles and at least one cleaning agent, wherein the at least one cleaning agent is immobilised on the surface of the polymeric particles. Typically the at least one cleaning agent is immobilised on the surface of the polymeric particles by means of chemical bonds, typically ionic bonds, hydrogen bonds, covalent bonds, polar bonds, or bonds formed by virtue of unequal charge distributions between polymeric particles and immobilised materials. The invention also provides a method for the cleaning of a substrate, the method comprising the treatment of the substrate with a formulation according to the invention, and a method for the preparation of the cleaning formulation of the invention which comprises treating a multiplicity of polymeric particles with at least one cleaning agent.

Abstract: A method for cleaning at least one soiled substrate in a rotatably mounted cylindrical drum of a cleaning apparatus with a multiplicity of solid particles comprising the steps of: a) agitating said at least one soiled substrate in said drum with wash liquor and said multiplicity of solid particles for a first cleaning cycle wherein said wash liquor comprises at least one cleaning agent; b) draining said wash liquor from said cleaning apparatus; and c) introducing an aqueous non-detergent medium into said cleaning apparatus and agitating said at least one soiled substrate with said multiplicity of solid particles in said drum for a second cleaning cycle.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and method for use in the cleaning of soiled substrates, the apparatus comprising: (a) housing means, having: (i) a first upper chamber having mounted therein a rotatably mounted cylindrical cage, and (ii) a second lower chamber located beneath said cylindrical cage; (b) at least one recirculation means; (c) access means; (d) a multiplicity of delivery means; and (e) sealing means, wherein said sealing means is removably attached to the outer surface of the cylindrical side walls of said rotatably mounted cylindrical cage, and is adapted to prevent the ingress or egress of fluids and solid particulate matter from the interior of said cage. The method involves cleaning the soiled substrate by treatment of the substrate with a formulation comprising solid particulate cleaning material and wash water, the method being carried out using the apparatus of the invention, and the apparatus and method find particular application in the cleaning of textile fabrics.

Abstract: The invention relates to a composition comprising a polyester, a photoreactive comonomer and a co-reactant, wherein the co-reactant comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of an unsaturated diol, an unsaturated aliphatic diacid, an unsaturated aromatic diacid, an unsaturated aliphatic ester, an unsaturated aromatic ester, an unsaturated anhydride and mixtures thereof. Other aspects of the present invention include articles produced from these compositions and processes for producing these compositions.