Detergent Polymer Composition for Fabric Malodor and Soil Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumers face challenges with malodor issues on fabrics due to adherence of hydrophobic soils and biological stains, and existing laundry compositions do not effectively address soil adhesion and allergen repellency.
Innovation Solution
A detergent composition comprising detersive surfactants and polymers with specific structural units, designed to reduce soil adhesion, biological stain adhesion, and promote allergen repellency, while providing improved freshness and anti-malodor performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional laundry compositions are used, then basic cleaning is achieved, but malodor control and soil adhesion reduction are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite polymer system comprising multiple specific structural units (I), (II), and (III) with defined molecular architectures. This composite polymer structure combines hydrophobic regions for soil interaction with hydrophilic regions for water solubility, creating a material that simultaneously addresses malodor control, soil adhesion reduction, and freshness maintenance that single-material systems cannot achieve
Solution Approach 2:
The invention systematically varies critical polymer parameters including molecular weight (2,000-50,000 g/mol), composition ratios of structural units (a: 1-200, b: 1-200), and side chain configurations (R5 and R6 groups). These parameter optimizations enable precise control over polymer-fabric and polymer-soil interactions, achieving enhanced malodor control and soil release performance while maintaining reliability across different washing conditions
2Loss of energy
If lower temperatures and shorter wash cycles are used, then energy consumption is reduced, but malodor generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The polymer composition is designed to act preemptively during the wash cycle, forming protective complexes with soils and odors early in the process. The polymer's specific structural units bind to hydrophobic soils and odor molecules before they can adhere to fabrics, preventing malodor generation at its source rather than attempting remediation after the fact
Solution Approach 2:
The polymer serves as a chemical intermediary between water and hydrophobic soils/odors. Its amphiphilic structure (combining hydrophobic R5/R6 groups with hydrophilic backbone) allows it to solubilize hydrophobic contaminants in aqueous environments, enabling effective malodor control at lower temperatures where traditional hydrophilic cleaners alone would be insufficient
3Object-affected harmful factors
If hydrophobic soils adhere to fabrics, then cleaning challenge increases, but fabric care benefits are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The polymer structure incorporates R5 groups with -(CjH2jO)k-R98 and R6 groups with -(CjH2jO)k-R99 moieties that replicate the amphiphilic characteristics of natural fabric protectants. By copying the functional behavior of effective soil-release agents while incorporating specific molecular weight and compositional parameters, the invention achieves enhanced fabric care with improved malodor control
Solution Approach 2:
The single polymer composition performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides soil release, malodor control, fabric care, and freshness protection. The multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate treatment products, simplifying the laundry process while addressing multiple fabric protection needs in one application
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 effectively reduces malodor, soil adhesion, and biological stain adhesion, while promoting allergen repellency, enhancing fabric freshness and care benefits.
Implementation Method 1
Malodors are typically caused by adherence of soils, especially hydrophobic soils such as body soils, cooking oils, and non-food oils onto the surface, such as fabrics, and especially onto hydrophobic fabrics
Implementation Method 2
A detergent composition comprising detersive surfactant and a polymer
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a detergent composition comprising detersive surfactant and a specific polymer. The composition is preferably a fabric treatment product, such as a laundry detergent.