Liquid Laundry Detergent Formulation with Cleaning Booster Polymer

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need for liquid laundry detergent formulations that maintain primary cleaning performance with reduced surfactant loading while providing improved anti-redeposition performance, as consumers and manufacturers seek to minimize surfactant usage due to environmental sensitivity and rising costs.

Innovation Solution

A liquid laundry detergent formulation comprising a liquid carrier, a cleaning surfactant, and a cleaning booster polymer with specific structural units, including monoethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomers and ethylenically unsaturated monomers, which enhances cleaning performance and anti-redeposition capabilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If surfactant loading is reduced in liquid laundry detergent formulations, then environmental sensitivity and material costs are improved, but primary cleaning performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurfactant usageVSAvoidprimary cleaning performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines surfactants with specifically designed polymers having hydrophobic and hydrophilic segments to create a composite cleaning system. The polymer structure includes hydrophobic portions that bind to soil particles and hydrophilic portions that interact with water, working synergistically with surfactants to maintain cleaning performance at reduced surfactant concentrations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies the molecular structure parameters of the polymer components, specifically controlling the ratio of hydrophobic to hydrophilic segments and the molecular weight distribution. By optimizing these parameters, the formulation achieves enhanced soil binding capability that compensates for reduced surfactant loading.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of substance

If surfactant loading is reduced in liquid laundry detergent formulations, then material costs and environmental impact are improved, but anti-redeposition performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurfactant usageVSAvoidanti-redeposition performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a composite system where polymers with specific architectural features (hydrophobic-hydrophilic segments) work in conjunction with surfactants to provide anti-redeposition functionality. The hydrophobic segments adsorb to fabric surfaces and prevent soil reattachment, while hydrophilic segments remain in the aqueous phase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The polymer acts as an intermediary between the surfactant and the fabric-soil interface. It provides additional mechanisms for soil removal and prevention of redeposition that complement surfactant action, allowing reduced surfactant dosing while maintaining anti-redeposition performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If polymer structure is optimized for soil binding, then cleaning performance is improved, but formulation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning performanceVSAvoidformulation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes specific molecular parameters of the polymer including the ratio of hydrophobic to hydrophilic segments (controlled at 2:1 to 1:2), molecular weight range (1,000 to 1,000,000 Daltons), and monomer composition ratios. These parameter optimizations achieve effective cleaning performance while maintaining reasonable formulation simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 formulation significantly improves primary cleaning performance for dust sebum and maintains good anti-redeposition performance for ground clay, achieving effective cleaning with reduced surfactant usage.

Implementation Method 1

The polymer comprises structural units that provide hydrophobic and hydrophilic segments, where the hydrophobic segments interact with soil particles and the hydrophilic segments interact with water

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrophobic interaction: Hydrophobe

Implementation Method 2

a cleaning surfactant

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface tension reduction: Surface Tension

Data Source

PatentUS12006490B2Liquid laundry detergent formulation

Publication Date: 2024.06.11 ROHM & HAAS CO

AI summary

A liquid laundry detergent formulation is provided, comprising: a liquid carrier; a cleaning surfactant; and a cleaning booster polymer, wherein the cleaning booster polymer has structural units of a monoethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer; structural units of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer of formula (I)optionally, structural units of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer of formula (III)and optionally, structural units of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer of formula (IV)