Hard Surface Cleaning Composition with Polymer Complex and Low Essential Oil
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hard surface cleaning compositions with anti-microbial properties often rely on high concentrations of essential oils, which are expensive and can cause unpleasant odors, while also providing short-lived hygiene benefits against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.
Innovation Solution
A hard surface cleaning composition comprising a polymer complex of carboxylic acid homopolymers or copolymers and alkylene oxide, vinyl pyrrolidone, or vinyl alcohol homopolymers or copolymers, combined with a low amount of essential oils and a quaternary ammonium biocide, maintaining a pH between 2 and 6, to achieve long-lasting anti-microbial effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high concentrations of essential oils are used for anti-microbial effect, then anti-microbial activity is improved, but cost and unpleasant odor increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the concentration parameter of essential oils from high to low levels, and compensates for the reduced anti-microbial activity by introducing quaternary ammonium biocide and optimizing the polymer complex formulation, thereby maintaining effectiveness while reducing unpleasant odor
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite anti-microbial system combining essential oils with quaternary ammonium biocide and polymer complex, where the components work synergistically to provide effective anti-microbial activity at lower essential oil concentrations, thus reducing unpleasant odor
2Reliability
If high concentrations of essential oils are used for anti-microbial effect, then anti-microbial activity is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces the concentration parameter of expensive essential oils while maintaining anti-microbial effectiveness through the synergistic combination with quaternary ammonium biocide and polymer complex, thereby reducing overall formulation cost
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces quaternary ammonium biocide and polymer complex as intermediary substances that enhance or substitute the anti-microbial action of essential oils, allowing reduced essential oil usage while maintaining effectiveness
3Reliability
If conventional disinfectants like hypochlorite are used, then anti-microbial effect is achieved, but skin irritation and fabric damage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pH parameter of the composition to be between 2 and 6, which is significantly milder than conventional hypochlorite disinfectants, thereby reducing skin irritation while maintaining anti-microbial effectiveness through the polymer complex and biocide combination
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a biodegradable polymer complex that provides temporary adhesion and sustained release of anti-microbial agents, creating a gentle yet effective alternative to harsh conventional disinfectants
4Object-generated harmful factors
If low amounts of essential oil are used, then cost and odor are improved, but anti-microbial effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges essential oils with quaternary ammonium biocide and polymer complex into a unified formulation where the components work synergistically, allowing low essential oil concentrations to maintain effective anti-microbial activity through the combined action of all ingredients
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite system where the polymer complex forms a matrix that entraps and releases anti-microbial agents, enabling sustained effectiveness at low essential oil concentrations while minimizing unpleasant odor
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is in the field of hard surface cleaning, especially hard surface treatment for obtaining a lasting anti-microbial benefit. It remains to be desired to prepare hard surface cleaning compositions having a high anti-microbial effect, even after longer time, with a low dosage of anti-microbial essential oils. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a hard surface treatment composition, having good anti-microbial properties, at low levels of essential oil. Surprisingly it has been found that composition comprising a low amount of essential oil and a polymer complex provides improved anti-microbial efficacy.