Granules or powders and methods for their manufacture

Abstract

Process for manufacturing granules or powders comprising the steps of (a) providing an aqueous solution or slurry of (A) at least one chelating agent according to general formula (I a) [CH3—CH(COO)—N(CH2—COO)2]M3-XHX (I a) wherein M is selected from alkali metal cations and ammonium, same or different, and x is in the range of from 0.01 to 1.0 or (I b) [OOC—CH2CH2—CH(COO)—N(CH2—COO)2]M4-XHX (I b) wherein M is as defined above, and x in formula (I b) is in the range of from 0.01 to 2.0, and (B) at least one polymer selected from (B1) polyaspartates with an average molecular weight Mw in the range of from 1,000 to 20,000 g/mole, and (B2) copolymers comprising, in copolymerized form, (α) at least one ester of an ethylenically unsaturated mono- or dicarboxylic acid, and (β) at least one ethylenically unsaturated N-containing monomer, and (b) spray drying or granulating said solution or slurry.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.