Coated Lenticular Detergent Particle Staining Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional colored solid laundry detergent products often result in unacceptable staining, which is a concern for consumers.
Innovation Solution
The development of large coated laundry detergent particles with a specific composition and structure, comprising a surfactant core and an inorganic salt coating, where the surfactant constitutes 40-90 wt% and the inorganic salt 1-40 wt%, with a pigment present at 0.0001-0.1 wt%, reducing staining and allowing for a concentrated formulation that balances between liquid and granular formats.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If colored solid detergent products are used, then the detergent provides effective cleaning, but unacceptable colored staining occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The detergent particle is segmented into a core containing surfactant and pigment, and a separate coating layer of water-soluble inorganic salts. This segmentation allows the pigment to be isolated in the core where it cannot contact and stain fabrics, while the coating provides controlled dissolution to release surfactant for cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The water-soluble inorganic salt coating acts as an intermediary layer between the colored pigment core and the fabric. This coating controls the dissolution and release process, allowing the surfactant to be delivered for cleaning while preventing direct contact between the pigment and fabric that would cause staining.
2Quantity of substance
If the particle is made as a concentrated formulation with high surfactant content, then the unit dose required for washing is reduced, but the particle structure becomes less stable
Solution Approach 1:
The detergent particle uses a composite structure combining organic surfactant/pigment core with inorganic salt coating. This composite material approach allows high surfactant concentration (40-90 wt%) in the core while the inorganic coating provides structural stability and controlled dissolution properties that maintain particle integrity during storage and handling.
3Productivity
If the particle size is increased to reduce the number of particles per load, then the dosing precision is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The extrusion process uses mechanical vibration during extrusion through a cylindrical die to create particles with consistent dimensions and controlled shape. This vibration mechanism ensures that even at larger sizes (x=1-2mm, y=2-8mm, z=2-8mm), the particles maintain uniform characteristics that enable precise dosing and consistent performance.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a coated lenticular or disc detergent particle having perpendicular dimensions x, y and z, wherein x is from 1 to 2 mm, y is from 2 to 8 mm and z is from 2 to 8 mm, wherein the particle comprises: (i) from 40 to 90 wt % surfactant selected from anionic surfactant and non-ionic surfactant; (ii) from 1 to 40 wt % water soluble inorganic salts; and (iii) from 0.0001 to 0.1 wt % pigment, wherein the pigment is selected from organic and inorganic pigments, wherein the inorganic salts are present on the detergent particle as a coating and the surfactant and the pigment are present as a core.