Alkaline Nanoparticle Cleaning Composition with Polymeric Stabilizer

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current cleaning compositions with nanoparticles face stability issues in aqueous media and interact negatively with protease enzymes, reducing their cleaning effectiveness, especially in automatic dishwashing applications.

Innovation Solution

A cleaning composition comprising inorganic nanoparticles and a polymeric nanoparticle stabilizer forms a core-shell structure, maintaining nanoparticle dispersion and stability in alkaline conditions, even in the presence of hardness ions, and avoids interactions with protease enzymes, using a composition with a pH of 8-12 and a polymeric stabilizer that prevents aggregation and maintains zeta potential within specific ranges.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If nanoparticles are placed in an aqueous cleaning medium, then cleaning performance is improved, but dispersion stability deteriorates due to aggregation and flocculation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning performanceVSAvoidnanoparticle dispersion stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

A surfactant is introduced as an intermediary substance between the nanoparticles and the aqueous cleaning medium. The surfactant molecules adsorb onto the nanoparticle surfaces, providing steric and electrostatic stabilization that prevents aggregation and flocculation, thereby maintaining dispersion stability while preserving cleaning performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system forms a composite structure where surfactant molecules are associated with nanoparticle surfaces, creating stabilized nanoparticle-surfactant complexes. This composite approach combines the cleaning efficacy of nanoparticles with the stabilizing properties of surfactants, resolving the contradiction between performance and stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Productivity

If nanoparticles are added to cleaning composition, then cleaning effectiveness is enhanced, but interaction with protease enzymes occurs reducing cleaning activity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoidprotease activity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The surfactant acts as a protective intermediary between the nanoparticles and protease enzymes. By coating the nanoparticle surfaces, the surfactant prevents direct contact and unwanted interactions between nanoparticles and enzymes, thereby preserving protease activity while maintaining the cleaning enhancement provided by nanoparticles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If traditional builders and surfactants are used in high amounts, then cleaning performance is improved, but environmental friendliness and composition simplicity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning performanceVSAvoidenvironmental impact

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the concentration parameter of traditional cleaning ingredients (builders and surfactants) from high amounts to low or minimal amounts. By introducing nanoparticles as an alternative cleaning agent, the formulation achieves effective cleaning performance with reduced quantities of conventional ingredients, thereby improving environmental friendliness and composition simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS8252736B2Cleaning composition

Publication Date: 2012.08.28 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO

AI summary

An alkaline cleaning composition for use in aqueous medium comprising nanoparticles or a nanoparticles precursor and a polymeric nanoparticle stabilizer.