Citrate Mixture in Phosphate-Free Dishwashing Detergents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current phosphate-free automatic dishwashing detergents fail to match the cleaning and rinsing performance of phosphate-containing detergents, particularly struggling with enzyme-sensitive stains, and often have issues with tablet breakage and storage stability.
Innovation Solution
A multiphase phosphate-free dishwashing detergent containing a mixture of sodium citrate dihydrate and sodium citrate anhydrate in a specific weight ratio within the enzyme phase, along with other components like surfactants and builders, enhances cleaning performance and fracture toughness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If phosphate-free dishwashing detergents are formulated to be environmentally friendly, then environmental compatibility is improved, but cleaning performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite builder system combining citrate (5-20% wt), carbonate (10-30% wt), and amino carboxylic acid salts (5-20% wt) to replace traditional phosphates. This multi-component approach achieves both environmental compatibility and effective water softening, thereby maintaining cleaning performance on enzyme-sensitive soils while being phosphate-free
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the alkalinity parameters of the cleaning liquor by adjusting the proportions of citrate, carbonate, and amino carboxylic acid salts. This parameter optimization ensures sufficient alkalinity for fat emulsification and saponification while maintaining effective calcium complexing, thus achieving good cleaning results without phosphates
2Device complexity
If single citrate form (anhydrate or dihydrate) is used to simplify formulation, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but cleaning performance on enzyme-sensitive soils deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines both anhydrous citrate and citrate dihydrate in the formulation (total citrate content 5-20% wt). This combination leverages the complementary properties of both forms: the anhydrous form contributes to tablet hardness and structural integrity, while the dihydrate form provides effective calcium complexing and enzyme protection, thereby achieving superior cleaning performance on enzyme-sensitive soils
3Strength
If tablet hardness is increased to prevent breakage, then mechanical strength is improved, but ease of dissolution deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality differentiation by using anhydrous citrate (contributing to hardness) and dihydrate citrate (contributing to solubility) in specific proportions within the tablet matrix. The citrate mixture ratio is optimized so that tablets achieve sufficient fracture toughness for handling while maintaining rapid dissolution during the wash cycle
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the physical-chemical parameters of the citrate mixture, specifically the ratio of anhydrous to dihydrate forms, to achieve the desired balance between tablet hardness and dissolution rate. This parameter optimization ensures tablets are hard enough to withstand handling but dissolve efficiently during washing
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 detergent achieves improved cleaning results on enzyme-sensitive soils and maintains stability and effectiveness even after storage, with enhanced fracture toughness preventing premature breakage of tablets.
Implementation Method 1
on the other hand they reduce the water hardness of the cleaning liquor by complexing the calcium ions contained in the aqueous liquor
Implementation Method 2
the cleaning performance on enzyme-sensitive soiling can be improved by using a combination of sodium citrate dihydrate and sodium citrate anhydrate
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a multiphase phosphate-free, machine dishwashing detergent that exhibits improved cleaning performance on enzyme-sensitive soiling, containing at least one enzyme in one phase, and whose enzyme-containing phase further comprises a mixture of sodium citrate dihydrate and sodium citrate anhydrous in a weight ratio of 1:5 to 5:1, the use of this dishwashing detergent, and a method for machine dishwashing using this dishwashing detergent.