Cationic Copolymers for Residue-Free Hard Surface Cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Commercial detergent formulations often leave residues such as stripes, streaks, or stains on hard surfaces after drying, which reduces the gloss and appearance of the surface.

Innovation Solution

Copolymers containing 0.1 to 99.4 mol % cationic structural units and 0.4 to 4.5 mol % macromonomeric structural units, specifically designed to be water-soluble or water-dispersible, are added to detergent compositions to enhance shine and hydrophilization of hard surfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If conventional detergent formulations are used, then cleaning effectiveness is achieved, but residues such as stripes, streaks, or stains remain on hard surfaces after drying

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface residuesVSAvoidsurface gloss

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the detergent formulation by incorporating specific copolymers with cationic and nonionic structural units. These copolymers modify the surface properties of hard surfaces, changing the drying behavior of water to prevent residue formation while maintaining surface gloss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses composite copolymer structures combining cationic units (for surface adhesion and hydrophilization) with nonionic units (for solubility and surface tension modification). This composite material approach allows simultaneous achievement of residue reduction and gloss maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Productivity

If detergent formulations are designed to dry quickly, then drying speed improves, but surface gloss and shine are reduced due to residue formation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrying speedVSAvoidsurface gloss

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The copolymers modify the physical-chemical parameters of the surface, specifically increasing hydrophilicity through cationic units while controlling water evaporation kinetics. This allows faster drying without the trade-off of gloss loss, as the copolymers prevent crystalline residue formation during rapid evaporation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The copolymer acts as an intermediary substance between water and the hard surface during drying. It mediates the drying process by controlling water-surface interactions, enabling rapid evaporation while preventing residue that would otherwise reduce gloss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 copolymers improve the shine and hydrophilic properties of hard surfaces, reducing the contact angle with water droplets and enhancing drying speed, while also providing a repair effect on treated surfaces.

Implementation Method 1

the copolymers improve the shine and hydrophilic properties of hard surfaces, reducing the contact angle with water droplets

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrophilic interaction: Hydrophile

Implementation Method 2

enhancing drying speed

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentUS11649310B2Copolymers and the use of same in cleaning agent compositions

Publication Date: 2023.05.16 CLARIANT INT LTD

AI summary

What are described are copolymers containing cationic structural units and macromonomeric structural units. The copolymers are, for example, advantageously suitable for use in detergent compositions and lead to advantageous shine results, for example, after application on hard surfaces.