Glutaric acid, a five carbon dicarboxylic acid, possesses several interesting properties. It has the lowest melting point of all dicarboxylic acids and this typically carries through to polymer derivatives.
The odd-number carbon structure also reduces polymer crystallinity, resulting in resins with greater elasticity. Glutaric acid is highly soluble in water, making it easy to handle. This increased solubility also provides customers with a broader formulating window of aqueous-based cleaners.
Glutaric acid is listed in the European directive on food contact materials (90/128/EEC) which allows its use in polymers made for packaging of food products. Today, glutaric acid is used as an activator in solder fluxes and a pharmaceutical intermediate.
DuPont Nylon Intermediates and Specialities is launching a development programme for glutaric acid and the company anticipates the product will be commercialised later this year.
Applications being pursued by DuPont, which may be of interest to the food industry, include: p Cleaning: glutaric acid is a good chelating agent and exhibits virucidal activity. It effectively ties up water hardness ions, as well as metal oxides. This suggests uses in metal finishing and cleaning, cleaning industrial equipment and hard surface cleaning. p Detergent: glutaric acid is very mild and will not corrode cleaning equipment. p Food extracts of crude wool. It has a pleasant fruit acid flavour and has desirable properties as a food acidulant. It can be considered as a replacement for citric or malic acid in many food applications upon Food and Drug Administration approval. p
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