Compact Liquid Detergent Stabilization for Low-Temperature Dissolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for compacting liquid laundry detergents fail to provide effective dissolution at low temperatures, especially in short washing machine cycles, and are costly due to the need for modifying manufacturing processes to handle dry or highly viscous materials, while also facing challenges with builders that affect stability and phase separation.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the formulation of a concentrated aqueous liquid or gel-form laundry detergent with a three-part stabilization system: an alkanolamine, a coupling polymer, and a crystalline structurant, which ensures stability against phase splits and effective dissolution at low temperatures, using a combination of anionic nonsoap surfactants, nonionic surfactants, and organic solvents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If liquid laundry detergent is compacted by increasing surfactant concentrations and removing organic solvent to achieve internal structuring, then the detergent requires less packaging material and occupies less space, but the detergent becomes extremely viscous and phase unstable, and dissolution becomes problematic at low temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a crystalline structurant as an intermediary substance that mediates between the conflicting requirements of compaction and stability. This structurant provides a crystalline framework that stabilizes the concentrated detergent formulation without requiring extreme surfactant concentrations, thereby maintaining phase stability while achieving compact form.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameters of the detergent system by incorporating a crystalline structurant that establishes a defined melting point range. This parameter change allows the detergent to maintain structural integrity at storage temperatures while enabling controlled dissolution when the melting point is reached during washing, resolving the stability-viscosity contradiction.
2Loss of substance
If liquid laundry detergent is compacted into concentrated liquid or gel form, then less packaging material is needed and transport is more efficient, but the detergent may not dissolve rapidly and effectively at lower than normal wash temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase transition as the core mechanism for resolving the dissolution problem. The crystalline structurant is selected to have a melting point below the washing temperature, so that during the wash cycle, the structured detergent undergoes a phase transition from solid crystalline form to liquid, enabling rapid and effective dissolution even at low temperatures while maintaining compact storage form.
3Adaptability or versatility
If water level in concentrated detergent is reduced to 5-10% by weight to avoid dissolution of soluble film during storage, then the detergent can be packaged in soluble film packets, but the manufacturing cost increases due to the need to convert commercially available detergent ingredients into dry or near-to-dry forms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the water content parameter to a moderate level (not extremely low at 5-10%), making the detergent compatible with conventional liquid formulation ingredients while still suitable for soluble film packaging. This parameter adjustment eliminates the need for costly conversion of commercial detergent ingredients into dry forms, reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining packaging versatility.
4Reliability
If builders are added to compact laundry gel formulations for water-hardness management, then water hardness control is improved, but the ability to compact the detergent is constrained due to salting-out effects or viscosifying effects on surfactants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite formulation approach, combining builders with a crystalline structurant system. The crystalline structurant provides the primary compacting mechanism through its solid framework, while the builder contributes water-hardness management functions. This composite structure allows both functions to coexist without the builder interfering with the compacting mechanism through salting-out or excessive viscosifying effects.
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 solution achieves stability against phase splits and effective low-temperature performance, ensuring rapid dissolution and cost-effectiveness by using a three-part stabilization system, which is unexpected given the known properties of the components, and meets the criteria for cleaning performance and manufacturing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a coupling polymer, and a crystalline structurant, which ensures stability against phase splits
Implementation Method 2
formulating said detergent with an alkanolamine; formulating said detergent with a coupling polymer
Implementation Method 3
formulating said detergent with a crystalline structurant, which ensures stability against phase splits
Data Source
AI summary
Compact liquid or gel-form laundry detergent compositions processes for manufacturing such compositions, wherein the compositions comprise at least a stabilization system against phase splitting having an alkanolamine and a coupling polymer component and preferably a stabilization system against phase splitting having an alkanolamine, a coupling polymer and a crystalline structurant component.