Concentrated Esterquat Composition With Low-VOC Storage Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Concentrated fabric softening compositions are unstable during storage, require volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as solvents, and lack ingredients derived from renewable resources, making them environmentally unfriendly and difficult to use without specialized equipment.
Innovation Solution
A stable, concentrated liquid esterquat composition comprising 30-90% esterquats, 10-50% solvent system with biorenewable solvents, and optional water, maintaining a viscosity of less than 5000 cP, which can be easily diluted to form stable fabric softening dispersions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the concentration of fabric softener actives is increased above 15%, then packaging and transportation efficiency is improved, but storage stability deteriorates due to thickening and gelling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the composition by incorporating specific esterquat compounds with controlled molecular structures and incorporating them into a solvent system with specific polarity and viscosity characteristics. This allows achieving concentrations above 15% while maintaining storage stability through optimized molecular interactions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite liquid composition by combining fabric softener actives (esterquats) with a specifically designed solvent system containing multiple components in optimized ratios. This composite structure prevents gelling and thickening while maintaining high active ingredient concentration, resolving the contradiction between concentration and storage stability.
2Ease of operation
If conventional solvents are used to achieve concentrated aqueous dispersions and low viscosity, then ease of pumping is improved, but environmental harm increases due to VOC content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the solvent parameters by replacing VOC-based solvents with water and alternative solvents that have different volatility and environmental characteristics. The composition maintains pumpability through optimized viscosity control using the alternative solvent system, eliminating the need for harmful volatile organic compounds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adopts water as the primary solvent, which is environmentally benign and readily biodegradable. This substitution eliminates persistent environmental harm from VOCs while maintaining the functional requirements for concentration and pumpability through careful formulation.
3Reliability
If traditional fabric softener compositions are formulated, then fabric softening function is achieved, but biodegradability and renewability are reduced due to fossil fuel-based ingredients
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the origin parameters of the ingredients by selecting esterquat compounds and solvents that can be derived from renewable resources such as plant-based oils and biodegradable materials. This substitution maintains fabric softening functionality while improving biodegradability and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the composition to be inherently biodegradable and environmentally friendly, allowing the ingredients to naturally break down without requiring specialized disposal systems. The esterquat and solvent system are selected for their ability to degrade into harmless substances, providing self-service environmental protection.
Data Source
AI summary
Clear, stable concentrated liquid compositions are disclosed that comprise from 30% to 90% by weight of an esterquat active, and from 10% to 50% by weight of a particular solvent system. The esterquat active is the quaternized reaction product of a fatty acyl source having an Iodine Value of 40 to 130 reacted with an alkanolamine at a fatty acyl to alkanolamine molar ratio of 1.0:1 to 2.2:1. The concentrated liquid compositions have a VOC content of less than 5%, a Biorenewable Carbon Index (BCI) of at least 20 and a viscosity of less than 5000 cP at 25° C. The concentrated liquid compositions can be easily diluted in water to form stable aqueous dispersions.