Biodegradable Wash Composition Thickener for Heat-Stable Viscosity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wash compositions often contain synthetic thickeners that are not biodegradable, leading to environmental concerns and stability issues at elevated temperatures, while also lacking in lather, viscosity, and sensory feel.
Innovation Solution
A wash composition using biodegradable thickeners comprising starch and cellulose, with specific ratios and pH levels, that is free of synthetic thickeners and certain surfactants, providing excellent lather, viscosity, and a clean sensory feel without syneresis, discoloration, or malodor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If synthetic thickeners are used in wash compositions, then viscosity and lather characteristics are improved, but environmental biodegradability deteriorates and stability at elevated temperatures worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by replacing synthetic thickeners with biodegradable starch and cellulose derivatives, maintaining viscosity and stability while eliminating environmental harm. The specific parameter change involves using modified starch (1-10% modification level) and cellulose (5-20% content) to achieve both performance and biodegradability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite thickening system combining starch derivatives and cellulose derivatives, where each component contributes specific properties. The composite approach allows achieving both viscosity control and biodegradability that neither material could provide alone, resolving the contradiction between performance and environmental harm.
2Strength
If synthetic thickeners are used, then viscosity and lather are improved, but sensory feel and rinsing characteristics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the concentration parameters of starch (1-10% modified) and cellulose (5-20%) to optimize the balance between viscosity generation and sensory performance. This parameter optimization ensures adequate lather and viscosity while maintaining easy rinsing and clean sensory feel, resolving the contradiction between strength and ease of operation.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If biodegradable thickeners are used, then environmental friendliness is improved, but viscosity and stability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent develops a composite system of modified starch and cellulose derivatives where the combination provides both biodegradability and stable viscosity. The synergistic effect of the two materials allows achieving environmental friendliness without sacrificing viscosity stability, resolving the contradiction between environmental friendliness and compositional stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the modification level of starch (1-10%) and cellulose content (5-20%) to maintain viscosity stability while ensuring biodegradability. These specific parameter ranges were determined to provide the optimal balance between environmental friendliness and compositional stability.
4Device complexity
If low surfactant amounts are used, then environmental friendliness and simplicity are improved, but lather and cleaning performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the surfactant concentration parameter to low levels (3-15% total surfactant) while compensating with optimized biodegradable thickener parameters (modified starch 1-10%, cellulose 5-20%). This coordinated parameter change maintains lather and cleaning performance despite reduced surfactant amounts, resolving the contradiction between formulation simplicity and performance reliability.
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 maintains stability and performance at elevated temperatures, offering a clean, filmless sensory feel and easy rinsing, while being environmentally friendly and free of synthetic thickeners and harsh chemicals.
Implementation Method 1
biodegradable thickeners comprising starch and cellulose... yields excellent lather and viscosity characteristics
Implementation Method 2
comprising water, surfactant and biodegradable thickeners... yields excellent lather
Data Source
AI summary
A wash composition comprising: a) anionic surfactant; b) amphoteric surfactant, zwitterionic surfactant or both; c) 0 to 4% by weight nonionic surfactant; and 1.7 to 8.5% by weight thickener, the thickener having starch and cellulose, the starch being a hydroxypropyl starch, distarch phosphate or mixture thereof and the cellulose being a microcrystalline cellulose selected from the group consisting of carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose or a mixture thereof, wherein when the thickener is present at 1.7 to less than or equal to 4.5% by weight of the composition, the weight ratio of starch:cellulose is greater than 0 and less than 4.5, and further wherein when the thickener is present at greater than 4.5% to 8.5% by weight, the weight ratio of starch:cellulose is >0 and less than 15, and: i) the composition has from 3.0 to 15% by weight total surfactant; ii) the total surfactant comprises from 8 to 70% by weight amphoteric surfactant, zwitterionic surfactant or both based on total weight of anionic, and zwitterionic and/or amphoteric surfactant in the composition; and iii) the composition has a pH from greater than 4.25 to 8. the composition is substantially free of sulfate and isethionate, wherein substantially free means each individual component making up less than 0.2% by weight of the total composition.