Concentrated Liquid Detergent Rheology Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ultra-concentrated detergents face issues with thickening and poor dilution rheology, leading to unappealing consumer products and potential solubility problems, particularly with sodium laureth sulfate, which affects cleaning effectiveness and handling.
Innovation Solution
A detergent composition with a specific combination of surfactants, including alcohol ethoxy sulfate, non-ionic surfactants, and linear alkylbenzene sulfonate, at particular weight ratios, along with a rheology control agent, such as ethylene glycol monohexyl ether, to maintain a low viscosity profile upon dilution, ensuring effective dispersion and use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If water is removed to concentrate detergent, then shipping weight and product density are reduced, but the detergent becomes too thick and difficult to handle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by incorporating specific solvents (glycols, esters, ethers) and adjusting the ratio of ionic to nonionic surfactants. This allows the detergent to maintain high active ingredient concentration (60-85% actives) while controlling viscosity and flow properties to remain handleable during storage and dispensing.
2Reliability
If surfactant concentration is increased, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but viscosity increases and dilution rheology deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces solvent intermediaries (glycols, esters, ethers) that mediate between high surfactant concentration and viscosity control. These intermediaries solvate the surfactant molecules, preventing excessive aggregation and viscosity increase, thereby maintaining stable dilution rheology even at 60-85% active ingredient concentrations.
Solution Approach 2:
The detergent employs a composite surfactant system combining ionic surfactants (for cleaning effectiveness) with nonionic surfactants and solvent additives (for viscosity control). This composite formulation achieves both high cleaning performance and stable rheological properties upon dilution.
3Reliability
If sodium laureth sulfate is used for cleaning, then cleaning performance is improved, but solubility issues and homogeneous dispersion in water are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses nonionic surfactants and solvent additives as intermediaries that enhance the solubility and water compatibility of sodium laureth sulfate. These intermediaries prevent phase separation and ensure homogeneous dispersion in dilute solutions, maintaining both cleaning performance and solution stability.
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 superior concentration and handling of surfactants, maintaining a consistent low viscosity upon dilution, enhancing cleaning effectiveness and user experience by preventing unwanted thickening and improving storage stability.
Implementation Method 1
a rheology control agent present in an amount of from about 2 to about 15 weight percent actives based on a total weight of the detergent composition
Implementation Method 2
During the storage of the ultra-concentrated detergent compositions, crystals/solid may form
Implementation Method 3
such detergent compositions can have viscosities upon dilution with water that approach 400 Pa·S when measured at a shear rate of 0.42 1/sec using commonly available rheometers, which may cause the surfactants to not homogeneously disperse in water
Data Source
AI summary
Unit dose detergent packs and detergent compositions are provided. A unit dose detergent pack includes a pouch made of a water-soluble film and a detergent composition encapsulated within the pouch. The detergent composition includes a surfactant component including (1) an alcohol ethoxy sulfate having a C8-C20 backbone ethoxylated with from about 1 to about 10 moles of ethylene oxide, (2) at least one non-ionic surfactant having an alkoxylated alcohol, and (3) at least one anionic surfactant having a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate wherein (1), (2), and (3) are present in a weight ratio of actives of about (0 to 0.5):(0.05 to 0.9):(0 to 0.75). The detergent composition also includes water and a rheology control agent. The rheology control agent is selected from ethylene glycol monohexyl ether, ethylene glycol monopropyl ether, an ethoxylated ester, polyethylene glycol 400, an alkoxylated amine, and combinations of two or more thereof.