Concentrated Liquid Detergent Surfactant System Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Highly concentrated liquid washing agents face stability issues and subpar cleaning performance, especially when packaged in water-soluble envelopes, leading to potential leaks and inefficient cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A liquid washing agent composition comprising 18-35% anionic sulfonate surfactants, 15-25% nonionic surfactants, 2-15% anionic sulfate surfactants, and 0.5-20% fatty acid/soap, optimized for phase stability and cleaning performance, packaged in a water-soluble envelope made of polyvinyl alcohol or its copolymers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If washing agents are formulated to be highly concentrated to reduce packaging waste, then environmental friendliness and packaging efficiency improve, but stability problems occur and cleaning performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the concentration ranges of different surfactant components (anionic sulfonate: 18-35 wt.%, nonionic: 15-25 wt.%, anionic sulfate: 2-15 wt.%, fatty acid/soap: 0.5-20 wt.%) to achieve both high concentration and stability. This resolves the contradiction by finding optimal concentration parameters that prevent instability while maintaining high concentration for reduced packaging waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite surfactant system combining four different types of surfactants (anionic sulfonate, nonionic, anionic sulfate, and fatty acid/soap) in specific ratios. This composite approach allows the formulation to achieve both high concentration and stability, as each component contributes different properties that complement each other and prevent the instability issues that arise in highly concentrated single-component systems.
2Reliability
If surfactant concentration is increased to improve cleaning performance, then cleaning effectiveness improves, but stability of the surfactant system deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by changing the concentration parameters of each surfactant component to specific ranges rather than simply increasing total surfactant content. The anionic sulfonate (18-35 wt.%) provides cleaning power, while the nonionic (15-25 wt.%) and anionic sulfate (2-15 wt.%) components modulate the system to maintain stability, and fatty acid/soap (0.5-20 wt.%) further balances the formulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite surfactant system combines four different surfactant types with complementary properties. The anionic sulfonate provides strong cleaning performance, while the nonionic and anionic sulfate components create steric and electrostatic barriers that prevent excessive aggregation, and the fatty acid/soap component adds further stabilization. This composite approach allows high cleaning performance while maintaining surfactant system stability.
3Volume of moving object
If washing agent concentration is increased to reduce packaging volume, then packaging efficiency improves, but cleaning performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the concentration distribution across four surfactant components rather than simply increasing overall concentration. This allows the formulation to achieve high concentration (reduced packaging volume) while maintaining effective cleaning performance through the synergistic combination of components with different functional properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite surfactant system enables high concentration formulation with maintained cleaning performance because each component contributes specific functions: anionic sulfonate for cleaning power, nonionic for stability and solubility enhancement, anionic sulfate for foaming and cleaning, and fatty acid/soap for additional stabilization. This composite approach allows concentration optimization without sacrificing cleaning effectiveness.
4Ease of operation
If water-soluble envelope is used for packaging, then ease of use and environmental friendliness improve, but envelope dissolution and leakage occur before use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by formulating the washing agent with controlled surfactant concentrations and selecting appropriate pH ranges that create a chemical environment incompatible with premature hydrolysis of the polyvinyl alcohol envelope. This resolves the contradiction by adjusting formulation parameters to prevent envelope dissolution while maintaining water-solubility for easy use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the surfactant system as an intermediary that creates a protective chemical environment for the water-soluble envelope. The specific combination and concentration of surfactants (particularly the nonionic and fatty acid components) act as mediators that reduce the aggressiveness of the formulation toward the polyvinyl alcohol envelope, preventing premature dissolution while allowing controlled dissolution during use.
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 provides a stable, highly concentrated washing agent with excellent cleaning performance and foaming behavior, preventing envelope dissolution and ensuring effective cleaning across various temperatures and stains, while minimizing packaging waste.
Implementation Method 1
A storage-stable liquid washing or cleaning agent containing: a) 18 to 35 wt. % anionic surfactant of the sulfonate type, b) 15 to 25 wt. % nonionic surfactant, c) 2 to 15 wt. % anionic surfactant of the sulfate type, and d) 0.5 to 20 wt. % fatty acid and/or fatty acid soap
Data Source
AI summary
The application describes a highly concentrated, liquid washing or cleaning agent which contains a) 18 to 35 wt. %, relative to the entire washing or cleaning agent, of anionic surfactant of the sulfonate type selected from the group consisting of C9-13 alkylbenzenesulfonates, olefinsulfonates, sulfonated estolides, C12-18 alkanesulfonates and mixtures thereof, b) 15 to 25 wt. %, relative to the entire washing or cleaning agent, of nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of alkoxylated fatty alcohols, alkoxylated oxo alcohols, alkyl polyglycosides and mixtures thereof, c) 2 to 15 wt. %, relative to the entire washing or cleaning agent, of anionic surfactant of the sulfate type selected from the group consisting of fatty alcohol sulfates, fatty alcohol ether sulfates and mixtures thereof and d) 0.5 to 20 wt. %, relative to the entire washing or cleaning agent, of fatty acid and/or fatty acid soap.