Hand Dishwashing Detergent Composition Using Amine Oxide and Salt for Natural Clouding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional opacifiers used in hand dishwashing detergents are not biodegradable and have environmental drawbacks, necessitating a sustainable alternative that achieves opacity without these disadvantages.
Innovation Solution
A hand dishwashing composition comprising an amine oxide in excess of 0.5% by weight, an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt in excess of 1% by weight, a polysaccharide as a thickener, and an anionic surfactant present in less than 8.5% by weight, which achieves a natural clouding effect without the need for opacifying additives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional opacifiers are added to hand dishwashing detergents, then the transparency is reduced and the product appears milky or opaque, but the opacifiers are not easily biodegradable and have environmental disadvantages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the detergent system by using a specific surfactant blend (anionic surfactant at less than 8.5 wt%, amine oxide at more than 0.5 wt%, and alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt at more than 1 wt%) to achieve natural clouding. This parameter change allows the system to become self-opacifying without requiring external opacifier additives, thereby resolving the contradiction between achieving opacity and maintaining biodegradability.
Solution Approach 2:
The detergent composition itself generates the clouding effect through its own components rather than relying on separate opacifier additives. The specific combination of surfactants and salts creates micellar structures that naturally scatter light, making the product appear opaque while using only biodegradable ingredients. This self-service approach eliminates the need for harmful opacifiers.
2Illumination intensity
If conventional opacifiers are used to achieve opaque appearance, then the visual appeal is improved, but the production is resource-intensive and environmentally harmful
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the composition parameters by limiting anionic surfactant to less than 8.5 wt% and adding specific amounts of amine oxide (>0.5 wt%) and metal salts (>1 wt%), which changes the micellar behavior of the system to produce natural clouding. This parameter optimization achieves the desired visual appeal while avoiding resource-intensive opacifier production.
3Illumination intensity
If the anionic surfactant content is reduced to less than 8.5% by weight, then the natural clouding effect is achieved, but the cleaning performance may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite surfactant system combining anionic surfactants (less than 8.5 wt%), amine oxides (more than 0.5 wt%), and alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salts (more than 1 wt%). This composite approach compensates for the reduced anionic surfactant content by leveraging the synergistic effects of multiple components, maintaining both cloudiness and cleaning performance through the collective action of the surfactant blend.
Solution Approach 2:
The amine oxide and metal salt components act as intermediaries that facilitate the clouding effect while supporting the reduced anionic surfactant level. These intermediary substances help maintain micellar structures that produce opacity and also contribute to cleaning performance, bridging the gap between reduced surfactant content and effective cleaning.
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 creates a cloudy appearance, similar to that achieved with traditional opacifiers, while being environmentally friendly due to the biodegradable components, and also prevents phase separation of detergent components.
Implementation Method 1
a polysaccharide as a thickener... achieves a natural clouding effect
Implementation Method 2
an amine oxide in an amount of more than 0.5% by weight; an alkali metal salt or alkaline earth metal salt in an amount of more than 1% by weight
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an opaque hand dishwashing detergent comprising an amine oxide in an amount of more than 0.5 wt.%; an alkali metal salt or alkaline earth metal salt in an amount of more than 1 wt.%; a polysaccharide as thickener; and anionic surfactant in an amount of less than 8.5 wt.%.