Acrylic Polymer Detergent Formulation for Bleach-Free Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for improved heavy-duty laundry detergent formulations that do not include bleach, requiring additives beyond enzymes and surfactants, such as acrylic polymers for enhanced performance.
Innovation Solution
A liquid detergent composition comprising 30-80% water, 5-50% surfactants, and 0.5-10% of an acrylic polymer with specific molecular structure and weight percentages, along with other additives like glycol solvents and builders, to enhance cleaning efficacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If bleach is excluded from HDL detergent formulations, then safety and fabric compatibility are improved, but cleaning efficacy on tough stains deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the detergent formulation by using high water content (30-80 wt%) combined with specific acrylic polymer compositions and surfactant blends to achieve effective cleaning without bleach. This parameter change allows the formulation to maintain cleaning efficacy while eliminating harmful oxidizing agents.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a composite detergent system combining multiple components: acrylic polymers with specific monomer ratios (20-50 wt% (meth)acrylic acid units, 50-80 wt% hydrophobic monomer units), various surfactants, enzymes, and builders. This composite approach compensates for the absence of bleach by creating synergistic cleaning action through multiple mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If high water content (30-80 wt%) is used in liquid detergent, then ease of application and safety are improved, but formulation stability and active ingredient concentration deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the water content parameter to a specific range (30-80 wt%) that balances fluidity for easy application with sufficient concentration of active ingredients. This parameter optimization ensures the detergent remains stable during storage while maintaining pourability and safety for consumer use.
Solution Approach 2:
The formulation uses different components with specific functions distributed throughout the liquid matrix: acrylic polymers for anti-redeposition, surfactants for emulsification and wetting, enzymes for biological degradation, and builders for water softening. Each component is optimized for its local function while contributing to overall formulation stability.
3Quantity of substance
If acrylic polymers with specific composition are added to enhance anti-redeposition, then stain removal performance is improved, but formulation complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention specifies precise compositional parameters for the acrylic polymer (20-50 wt% (meth)acrylic acid units, 50-80 wt% hydrophobic monomer units with specific structural parameters n=6-30, m=0-10, n≥m, m+n=6-30). These parameter specifications ensure optimal anti-redeposition performance while providing clear manufacturing guidelines to manage complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The acrylic polymer is designed with specific local structural characteristics: hydrophobic monomer units with alkyl groups (C8-C22 or C8-C16 alkylphenyl) and ether linkages (n and m values) that provide targeted interaction with stain molecules and fabric surfaces. This localized structural optimization enhances stain removal without requiring complex formulation approaches.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid detergent comprising: (a) from 30 to 80 wt% water; (b) from 5 to 50 wt% surfactants; and (c) from 0.5 to 10 wt% of an acrylic polymer comprising from 20 to 50 wt% polymerized units of (meth)acrylic acid and from 50 to 80 wt% polymerized units of a monomer of structure H2C=C(R)CO2(CH2CH2O)n(CH(R')CH2O)mR"; wherein R is H or CH3, R' is C1-C2 alkyl; R" is C8-C22 alkyl or C8-C16 alkylphenyl; n is an average number from 6-30 and m is an average number from 0-10, provided that n≥m and m+n is 6-30.