Ampholytic Polymer Fabric Softening Detergent Residue
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry detergents face challenges in simultaneously providing effective cleaning and fabric softening through the wash without leaving unsightly residues on fabrics, as traditional cationic polymers often entrap dirt or leave visible residues due to incompatibility with laundry enzymes and pH-dependent behavior.
Innovation Solution
A laundry detergent composition containing a specific ratio of cationic, nonionic, and anionic monomers in a particular ampholytic polymer, which deposits care benefits onto fabrics at wash pH levels of 6 to 11 without leaving residues, achieved by incorporating these polymers along with a surfactant system, electrolyte, and fatty acid crystal modifier.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cationic polymers are used to provide fabric softening through the wash, then fabric softness is improved, but visible residues are left on fabrics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the charge density of the cationic polymer within a specific range (0.5-2.0 meq/g) and adjusting the polymer's molecular weight and composition to optimize deposition while minimizing visible residues on fabrics
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite material principles by combining cationic polymers with specific fabric care actives and surfactants in a formulated detergent system, where the components work synergistically to provide softness while reducing residue visibility through proper formulation balance
2Reliability
If cationic polymers are used to deposit care actives onto fabrics, then fabric softening is improved, but cleaning performance deteriorates due to dirt entrapment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by ensuring that the cationic polymer's deposition properties are optimized for specific fabric surfaces while maintaining different functional properties in the bulk detergent solution, allowing care actives to deposit on fabrics without trapping dirt in the wash liquor
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses partial action by incorporating cationic polymers at controlled, low concentrations (0.01-5% by weight) sufficient to provide fabric softening and care active deposition without excessive polymer that would cause dirt entrapment and cleaning performance loss
3Adaptability or versatility
If natural cationic deposition aids are used, then compatibility with fabric care actives is improved, but incompatibility with laundry enzymes occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the extraction principle by removing the problematic carbohydrate moiety from natural cationic polymers and using only the cationic functional groups in synthetic polymer structures, thereby eliminating enzyme incompatibility while retaining compatibility with fabric care actives
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses copying by creating synthetic cationic polymers that replicate the beneficial deposition properties of natural cationic polymers without the harmful carbohydrate components that cause enzyme incompatibility, effectively copying the desired function while eliminating the defect
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 provides fabric softening benefits while maintaining good cleaning performance and avoiding visible residues on fabrics, as demonstrated by residue testing and softness evaluations in full-scale washing machine tests.
Implementation Method 1
a select group of polymers, containing monomeric units derived from a combination of cationic monomers, nonionic monomers, and anionic monomers in a particular ratio, when incorporated into laundry detergent products, are capable of providing care benefits through the wash to fabrics while maintaining good cleaning and avoiding unsightly residues
Data Source
AI summary
Aqueous laundry detergent compositions containing surfactants and fatty acid, having a pH of from about 6 to about 11 and containing a polymer having a number average molecular weight of from about 700,000 to about 4,000,000 and comprising monomeric units including: nonionic monomers selected from acrylamide, N,N-dialkyl acrylamide, methacrylamide, N,N- dialkylmethacrylamide, hydroxyalkyl acrylate and vinyl pyrrolidone, vinyl acetate, vinyl alcohol, and mixtures thereof; cationic monomers selected from N,N-dialkylaminoalkyl methacrylate, N,N-dialkylaminoalkyl acrylate, N,N-dialkylaminoalkyl acrylamide, N,N- dialkylaminoalkylmethacrylamide, methacylamidoalkyl trialkylammonium chloride, acrylamidoalkylltrialkylammonium chloride, vinylamine, quaternized vinyl imidazole and diallyl dialkyl ammonium chloride, and mixtures thereof; and anionic monomers selected from acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, maleic acid, vinyl sulfonic acid, styrene sulfonic acid, acrylamidopropylmethane sulfonic acid (AMPS), salts thereof, and mixtures thereof; in a specified mole ratio.