Anhydrous Detergent Base Composition Process
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Solution Overview
Problem
Compact liquid laundry detergents face challenges in incorporating sufficient detergent ingredients due to space constraints, maintaining stability, and achieving desirable rheological properties, while also requiring a manufacturing process that avoids undesired phase formations and allows for easy differentiation into different products.
Innovation Solution
A process for creating an anhydrous laundry liquid detergent base composition involving pre-neutralized sulphate detersive surfactant syrup, followed by the addition of a neutralizing agent and sulphonate detersive surfactant in acid form, which enhances stability and allows for the formulation of compact, high-performance detergents with favorable rheology, enabling easy dilution and differentiation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the water content is reduced to create compact detergent products, then the concentration and cleaning performance are improved, but undesired phase formation occurs and processing becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-neutralizing the sulphate surfactant before mixing with other ingredients. This pre-treatment step ensures that the sulphate surfactant is in its neutralized form prior to combination, preventing undesired phase formation during the mixing process and eliminating processing difficulties associated with phase separation.
2Quantity of substance
If solvent levels are reduced to improve concentration, then product compactness is improved, but stability and rheological properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the order of addition and the form of ingredients. Specifically, adding sulphonate surfactant in acid form after neutralization, and controlling pH levels throughout the process, maintains product stability and desirable rheological properties even at reduced solvent levels.
3Productivity
If a common base composition is used for differentiation, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but post-addition of ingredients alters rheology making the composition unmanageable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-neutralizing the sulphate surfactant and establishing the correct pH balance before any differentiation or post-addition steps. This preliminary pH control creates a stable base composition that can be differentiated later without rheological problems, as the foundational pH balance prevents unwanted interactions with subsequently added ingredients.
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 process results in a compact, high-performance detergent with improved stability and rheological properties, allowing for efficient use in small doses while maintaining effective cleaning capabilities and compatibility with various ingredients, even in lower water content products.
Implementation Method 1
adding a neutralizing agent to the pre-neutralized sulphate detersive surfactant syrup... the sulphate detersive surfactant can be instabilized by the presence of acid. It has been found that by adding neutralizing agent to the pre-neutralized sulphate detersive surfactant syrup... before any other acidic material the stability of the sulphate detersive surfactant is enhanced.
Implementation Method 2
pre-neutralized sulphate detersive surfactant syrup... sulphonate detersive surfactant... ensures such compacted liquid laundry detergents have good cleaning performance
Data Source
AI summary
A process for making an anhydrous laundry liquid detergent base composition comprising detersive surfactant, the process comprising the steps of: a) providing a pre-neutralized sulphate detersive surfactant syrup wherein at least 50% of the sulphate detersive surfactant is pre-neutralized with an organic neutralizing agent; b) adding a neutralizing agent to the sulphate detersive surfactant syrup; and c) adding a sulphonic detersive surfactant in acid form to the mixture resulting from step b).