Laundry Detergent Polymer and Hueing Agent Particle Architecture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laundry detergent powders face challenges in achieving optimal whiteness and cleaning performance due to the combination of hueing agents and polymers, with the deposition of hueing agents on fabric surfaces being inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A solid free-flowing particulate laundry detergent composition comprising specific particle architectures, including a polymer particle with a co-polymer comprising structural units from carboxyl and sulfonate moieties, and a hueing agent particle with a defined structure, optimized to enhance cleaning and hueing performance, and improve deposition on fabric surfaces during laundering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hueing agents and polymers are incorporated into laundry detergent powder, then whiteness and cleaning performance are improved, but the deposition of hueing agent onto fabric surface becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the hueing agent into discrete particles with controlled size distribution (0.5-2.0 mm diameter) and specific morphology (spherical to irregular shapes). This segmentation allows the hueing agent particles to be uniformly distributed in the detergent powder while maintaining their ability to deposit efficiently on fabric surfaces during washing, resolving the contradiction between incorporating hueing agents for whiteness improvement and achieving efficient deposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention optimizes multiple parameters of the hueing agent particles including size (0.5-2.0 mm), shape (spherical to irregular), and composition (60-98 wt% clay, 2-10 wt% hueing agent, optional binders and surfactants). By controlling these parameters, the hueing agent particles achieve both stable incorporation into the detergent powder matrix and efficient deposition onto fabric surfaces, thereby improving whiteness and cleaning performance while maintaining deposition efficiency.
2Reliability
If polymer particles and hueing agent particles are combined in laundry detergent powder, then cleaning and hueing performance are enhanced, but the particle architecture complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines polymer particles and hueing agent particles into a single integrated detergent powder composition. The polymer particles (0.1-5 wt%) and hueing agent particles (0.1-5 wt%) are mixed and incorporated together with other detergent ingredients to form a unified powder product. This merging allows the synergistic effects of both components to be realized while maintaining a relatively simple overall particle architecture that is easy to manufacture and use.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite detergent powder system where polymer particles and hueing agent particles coexist as distinct but complementary components. The polymer particles provide cleaning and soil removal functions, while the hueing agent particles provide whiteness enhancement. This composite approach allows each component to maintain its optimized particle architecture while working together to deliver superior cleaning and hueing performance without excessive complexity.
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 composition achieves improved whiteness and cleaning performance, along with enhanced deposition of hueing agents on fabric surfaces, leading to superior laundry results.
Implementation Method 1
the inventors have found that this specific particle architecture also improves the deposition of the hueing agent onto the fabric surface during laundering
Implementation Method 2
the co-polymer comprises: (i.i) from 50 to less than 98 wt% structural units derived from one or more monomers comprising carboxyl groups; (i.ii) from 1 to less than 49 wt% structural units derived from one or more monomers comprising sulfonate moieties
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a solid free-flowing particulate laundry detergent composition comprising: (a) from 0.1wt% to 5wt% polymer particle comprising: (i) from 70wt% to 90wt% co-polymer, wherein the co-polymer comprises: (i.i) from 50 to less than 98 wt% structural units derived from one or more monomers comprising carboxyl groups; (i.ii) from 1 to less than 49 wt% structural units derived from one or more monomers comprising sulfonate moieties; and (i.iii) from 1 to 49 wt% structural units derived from one or more types of monomers selected from ether bond-containing monomers represented by formulas (I) and (II): wherein in formula (I), R0 represents a hydrogen atom or CH3 group, R represents a CH2 group, CH2CH2 group or single bond, X represents a number 0-5 provided X represents a number 1-5 when R is a single bond, and R1 is a hydrogen atom or C1 to C20 organic group; wherein in formula (II), R0 represents a hydrogen atom or CH3 group, R represents a CH2 group, CH2CH2 group or single bond, X represents a number 0-5, and R1 is a hydrogen atom or C1 to C20 organic group; and (ii) from 10wt% to 30wt% salt, wherein the salt is selected from sulphate salt and/or carbonate salt; and (b) from 0.1wt% to 5wt% hueing agent particle comprising: (i) from 2wt% to 10wt% hueing agent, wherein the hueing agent has the following structure: wherein the index values x and y are independently selected from 1 to 10; and (ii) from 60wt% to 98wt% clay.