Laundry Detergent Enzymatic Dispersant Stain Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laundry detergent formulations with a high fraction of anionic surfactant relative to non-ionic surfactant struggle with inadequate stain removal.
Innovation Solution
Combining a protease enzyme with an alkoxylated di or tri aryl phenol dispersant in a surfactant blend, specifically using a subtilase type serine protease and a surfactant mixture of anionic and non-ionic surfactants, to enhance stain removal in laundry detergents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a high fraction of anionic surfactant relative to non-ionic surfactant is used in laundry detergent formulations, then cost and foam generation are improved, but stain removal efficacy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a protease enzyme with an alkoxylated di or tri aryl phenol dispersant in a synergistic formulation. This merging of enzymatic and dispersant components resolves the contradiction by providing enhanced stain removal capability that compensates for the high anionic surfactant content, while maintaining cost-effectiveness and foam generation benefits of the anionic surfactant-dominant formulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite detergent system comprising anionic surfactants, non-ionic surfactants, protease enzymes, and alkoxylated di or tri aryl phenol dispersants. This composite material approach allows the formulation to simultaneously achieve good foam generation (from anionic surfactants), effective stain removal (from protease-dispersant synergy), and cost-effectiveness, resolving the technical contradiction between surfactant composition and performance.
2Reliability
If protease enzyme is added to enhance protein stain removal, then stain removal efficacy is improved, but formulation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The alkoxylated di or tri aryl phenol dispersant acts as an intermediary that enhances the performance of the protease enzyme. This mediator component facilitates the protease's stain removal activity while allowing the use of lower enzyme concentrations, thereby improving protein stain removal without proportionally increasing formulation complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the concentration parameters of both protease (0.0005 to 0.2 wt%) and alkoxylated di or tri aryl phenol dispersant (0.5 to 20 wt%) to achieve effective protein stain removal. By carefully controlling these parameters and their ratio, the formulation achieves high reliability in protein stain removal while maintaining manageable formulation complexity through standardized concentration ranges.
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 combination significantly improves stain removal efficacy, particularly for protein-containing stains, as demonstrated by increased reflectance values in stain removal experiments.
Implementation Method 1
Protease enzymes are used in laundry detergent formulations to remove protein containing stains from fabrics
Implementation Method 2
GB 2007692 discloses anti-soiling and anti-redesposition compositions which can be used in detergency
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an enzymatic and dispersant formulation for use in domestic laundry comprising (i) from 5 to 50 wt% of surfactant, other than an alkoxylated di or tri aryl phenol dispersant, selected from anionic and non-ionic surfactants, wherein the weight fraction of non-ionic surfactant/anionic surfactant is from 0 to 0.3, (ii) from 0.5 to 20 wt% of an alkoxylated di or tri aryl phenol dispersant, and (iii) from 0.0005 to 0.2 wt% protease enzyme. Domestic method of treating a textile comprising (i) treating a textile with from 1 g/L of an aqueous solution of the detergent composition and (ii) allowing said aqueous detergent solution to remain in contact with the textile for 10 minutes to 2 days, then rinsing and drying the textile.