Alkaline Cleaning Composition Using Amine Oxide Surfactant
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for improved cleaning compositions for hard surfaces that reduce organic constituents while maintaining effective cleaning performance, particularly for surfaces with greasy soils, and existing compositions often rely on organic solvents and multiple surfactants.
Innovation Solution
A highly alkaline cleaning composition comprising an amine oxide surfactant, an alkanolamine, a phenyl-containing glycol ether solvent, and water, optionally with minor additives, which provides excellent cleaning and sanitizing benefits without additional organic solvents or surfactants, and can be used with a pH of 9 or greater, typically 10 or greater, and comprising at least 85% water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional cleaning compositions use multiple organic solvents and surfactants to clean hard surfaces, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the amount of organic constituents increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary organic solvents and surfactants from the cleaning composition, retaining only the essential amine oxide surfactant and alkanolamine components. This reduction in organic constituents maintains cleaning effectiveness while minimizing the quantity of organic substances present in the formulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes high pH levels (9 or greater, preferably 10 or greater) as a key parameter to enhance cleaning effectiveness. By adjusting the alkalinity through components like alkanolamine and carbonate/bicarbonate compounds, the composition achieves superior cleaning performance with reduced organic content, as the high pH facilitates grease and soil removal without requiring additional organic surfactants.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If cleaning compositions reduce organic solvents to be environmentally friendly, then environmental friendliness is improved, but cleaning performance may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite cleaning system combining amine oxide surfactants, alkanolamine, phenyl-containing glycol ether solvent, and antimicrobial agents in a highly alkaline aqueous formulation. This composite approach maintains cleaning performance through synergistic interactions between components, particularly the combination of high pH and amine oxide surfactants that work together to remove greasy soils effectively while using minimal organic solvents.
Solution Approach 2:
The high alkaline pH environment (9 or greater, preferably 10 or greater) creates conditions that enhance the cleaning action through accelerated oxidation of greasy soils and organic contaminants. The alkaline conditions facilitate the breakdown of grease and soil molecules, enabling effective cleaning performance with reduced reliance on organic solvents and traditional surfactant combinations.
3Productivity
If the composition uses high pH levels to enhance cleaning, then cleaning efficacy is improved, but stability across temperatures may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The phenyl-containing glycol ether solvent acts as an intermediary component that bridges the high alkaline environment and temperature stability requirements. This solvent component helps maintain composition stability across various temperatures while being compatible with the high pH conditions, preventing degradation of active ingredients and ensuring consistent cleaning performance from cold to hot applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the pH parameter to 9 or greater (preferably 10 or greater) while carefully selecting complementary components that maintain stability at this alkalinity level across temperature ranges. The combination of amine oxide surfactants, alkanolamine, and phenyl-containing glycol ether solvent creates a formulation that remains stable despite the high pH, preventing precipitation, separation, or degradation during temperature variations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composition effectively cleans and sanitizes hard surfaces, particularly those with greasy soils, while being environmentally friendly by minimizing organic solvent use and maintaining stability across various temperatures, offering superior cleaning efficacy and antimicrobial properties.
Implementation Method 1
the compositions comprise a cleaning effective amount of an amine oxide surfactant constituent, an alkanolamine constituent
Implementation Method 2
a highly alkaline hard surface cleaning composition which compositions exhibit a pH of about 9 or greater, but preferably exhibit a pH of 10 or greater
Implementation Method 3
a phenyl containing glycol ether solvent
Implementation Method 4
an antimicrobially active constituent
Data Source
AI summary
Improved aqueous, alkaline hard surface cleaning compositions useful in the cleaning of hard surfaces, particularly hard surfaces bearing greasy stains or soils also provide a disinfecting and/or sanitizing benefit to the treated hard surfaces. Preferred compositions comprise amine oxide as the sole surfactant constituent, an alkalinity constituent, preferably an alkanolamine and as the sole organic solvent constituent, an alkylene glycol phenyl ether, an antimicrobially active constituent, and water, optionally further including a dye and/or fragrance composition. The compositions provide excellent cleaning of greasy soils on hard surfaces and provide a disinfecting or sanitizing benefit thereto.