Chlorine Dioxide Formulation Stability via pH and Surfactant Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Chlorine dioxide-based disinfectants and sanitizers face challenges with long-term stability, leading to limited shelf-life and requiring on-site production or complex user-mixing processes, which complicates manufacturing and consumer usage.
Innovation Solution
A method to enhance the stability of chlorine dioxide by adjusting the pH and using specific ingredients like DOWFAX, involving the reaction of hydrochloric acid with sodium chlorite, followed by the addition of sodium hydroxide to achieve a stable chlorine dioxide solution suitable for various delivery formats.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If chlorine dioxide is used as a biocidal agent, then micro efficacy is improved, but long-term stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-mixing chlorine dioxide with stabilizing agents (surfactants and chelating agents) during manufacturing to create a stabilized formulation that maintains efficacy over extended shelf life. This allows the product to be ready-to-use without requiring on-site generation while preserving microbicidal activity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes chemical parameters by adjusting pH levels and incorporating specific surfactants and chelating agents that alter the chemical environment to stabilize chlorine dioxide. This transforms the unstable pure chlorine dioxide solution into a stable formulated product maintaining therapeutic effectiveness.
2Stability of the object's composition
If chlorine dioxide is produced at the source, then long-term stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the instability issue by removing chlorine dioxide from its unstable pure form and incorporating it into a stabilized formulation system containing surfactants and chelating agents. This allows the active ingredient to be stored in conventional packaging without requiring complex on-site generation equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary substances (surfactants and chelating agents) that mediate between chlorine dioxide and the environment, protecting the active ingredient from degradation while maintaining its biocidal function. These intermediaries enable stable storage without complex delivery systems.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a 2-Part product is used, then long-term stability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple components (chlorine dioxide, surfactants, chelating agents) into a single integrated ready-to-use formulation. This combines the stability benefits of multi-component systems with the simplicity of single-step application, eliminating the need for consumer mixing while maintaining long-term stability.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional packaging is used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but long-term stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the formulation by incorporating pH adjustment, surfactants, and chelating agents that create a stable chemical environment for chlorine dioxide. This allows the use of simple conventional packaging while maintaining product stability through formulated chemistry rather than complex packaging requirements.
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 method significantly improves the long-term stability of chlorine dioxide, allowing for a product with extended shelf-life, easier consumer use, and conventional packaging, while maintaining microbiological efficacy.
Implementation Method 1
adding a first amount of Hydrochloric acid (HCl) to a second amount of Sodium chlorite (NaClO2) that is dissolved in water... allowing the chemical to react to completion... after the reaction to generate chlorine dioxide (ClO2) in solution has gone to completion
Implementation Method 2
adding a fourth amount of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) to adjust the pH of the resulting ClO2 solution to a desired pH and concentration
Implementation Method 3
adding a third amount of DOWFAX (i.e., sodium alkyl diphenyloxide disulfonate) to the solution and slowly agitate the HCl, NaClO2 and DOWFAX solution to distribute the DOWFAX
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are devices, systems, and methods for producing broad spectrum disinfectants, sanitizers, cleaner and deodorizers using chlorine dioxide compositions, and more particularly, to methods for producing chlorine dioxide compositions having improved long term stability by the proper choice of pH and through the careful choice of other product formula ingredients.