Alkyl Phenoxy Polyethoxy Phosphate Hydrotrope for Stable Aqueous Surfactants
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aqueous cleaning formulations face instability due to electrolytes and temperature variations, leading to decreased solubility of nonionic surfactants and excessive foaming, which inhibits formulation circulation and causes overflow.
Innovation Solution
Combining alkyl phenoxy polyethoxy phosphate with an alkyl glucoside having an alkyl group of eight or fewer carbons, specifically a linear six carbon chain with a two carbon branch, to increase the cloud point temperature and reduce foaming in aqueous nonionic surfactant solutions, even in the presence of electrolytes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrolytes are added to enhance cleaning performance, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but nonionic surfactant solubility decreases and formulation stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A hydrotrope is introduced as an intermediary substance that mediates between the electrolyte and nonionic surfactant. The hydrotrope enhances the solubility of the nonionic surfactant in the presence of electrolytes, allowing the formulation to maintain both cleaning effectiveness and stability simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the formulation by selecting specific hydrotropes with optimal molecular structures and concentrations. This parameter optimization allows the system to achieve enhanced surfactant solubility and formulation stability even with electrolyte presence.
2Reliability
If temperature is increased to improve cleaning performance, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but nonionic surfactant solubility decreases and formulation stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrotrope acts as a thermal buffer that maintains surfactant solubility across a wider temperature range. By introducing this intermediary substance, the formulation can operate at higher temperatures for improved cleaning while the hydrotrope prevents the typical temperature-induced solubility decrease.
3Stability of the object's composition
If traditional hydrotropes are used to enhance surfactant solubility, then formulation stability is improved, but excessive foaming occurs that inhibits circulation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the molecular structure parameters of the hydrotrope, specifically selecting compounds with 7-11 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain and specific ethoxy group counts. This parameter optimization achieves the desired balance between solubility enhancement and foaming control.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite hydrotrope systems that combine multiple hydrophobic and hydrophilic components in specific ratios. This composite approach allows the formulation to achieve both stability enhancement and reduced foaming characteristics that single-component hydrotropes cannot achieve.
4Stability of the object's composition
If hydrotrope concentration is increased to maximize surfactant solubility, then cloud point temperature increases and stability is improved, but foaming increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the concentration parameter of the hydrotrope to a specific range (0.1-5% by weight) where the cloud point temperature is sufficiently elevated for stability, but the foaming characteristics remain acceptable for efficient circulation and application.
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 combination synergistically stabilizes the solution by raising the cloud point temperature and minimizing foaming, outperforming individual components and traditional hydrotropes like TRITON BG-10, ensuring formulation stability and efficient circulation.
Implementation Method 1
The cloud point temperature is the temperature at which one or more than one component of a solution is no longer completely soluble in the solution and reveals at what temperature the solution becomes unstable. Higher cloud point temperatures indicate higher stability.
Implementation Method 2
Processes that require circulation of cleaning formulations are inhibited by foaming, which can cause variation in the rate of formulation circulation and even cause the circulation to shut down.
Data Source
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Figure 5
AI summary
An aqueous solution contains a nonionic surfactant, a alkyl phenoxy polyethoxy phosphate and an alkyl glucoside selected from a group consisting of alkyl glucosides characterized by the alkyl group having eight or fewer carbons and when the alkyl group has eight carbons it is a branched alkyl having a linear six carbon chain with a two carbon branch, where the aqueous solution is further characterized by containing less than 0.3 weight-percent cumene sulfonic acid or its alkali salt based on total aqueous solution weight and the alkyl glucoside is present at a concentration greater than alkyl glucosides having an alkyl group with more than eight carbons, as well as its uses for increasing the cloud point and decreasing the foaming properties.