Extended Chain Anionic Surfactant Cleaning Composition
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for effective, environmentally friendly, and safe surfactant systems that can efficiently remove challenging stains such as non-trans fats and fatty acids, while also addressing the issue of laundry fires caused by these soils.
Innovation Solution
A surfactant system comprising a synergistic combination of extended chain anionic surfactants with at least 5 moles of propoxylation, combined with novel linker co-surfactants such as alkyl glycerol ethers, short chain alcohols, and Gemini surfactants, which form non-gelling microemulsions with low viscosity and are stable over a wide temperature range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If alcohol ethoxylates (AEs) are used as surfactants to replace NPEs, then environmental safety and biodegradability are improved, but laundry fire risk increases due to smoke generation when exposed to high heat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the problematic short-chain alcohol components from the surfactant system. By using extended chain anionic surfactants with at least 5 moles of propoxylation, the formulation eliminates the smoke-generating short-chain alcohols while maintaining effective cleaning performance and environmental safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chain length parameter of the alcohol component from short-chain to extended-chain (at least 5 moles of propoxylation). This parameter change transforms the surfactant properties to prevent smoke generation at high temperatures while maintaining the desired cleaning effectiveness and environmental compatibility.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If non-trans fats are removed from diets, then health risks are reduced, but cleaning difficulty increases due to higher molecular weight and polymerization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite surfactant system combining extended chain anionic surfactants with specific co-surfactants. This composite formulation creates synergistic effects that enable effective emulsification and removal of challenging non-trans fat stains, overcoming the increased cleaning difficulty associated with these healthier alternatives.
Solution Approach 2:
The extended chain anionic surfactant acts as an intermediary substance that bridges the hydrophobic non-trans fats and hydrophilic water. The surfactant's extended chain structure with at least 5 moles of propoxylation provides enhanced solubilization capability, allowing effective removal of polymerized and high molecular weight triglyceride oils.
3Stability of the object's composition
If short chain alcohols are used to solubilize oil phase, then homogeneity is improved, but volatile organic solvent content and flammability increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates short-chain alcohol components from the formulation. By replacing them with extended chain anionic surfactants having at least 5 moles of propoxylation, the system maintains oil solubilization and homogeneity while removing the flammability and high VOC content associated with short-chain alcohols.
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 surfactant system effectively removes non-trans fats and other oily soils without causing laundry fires, achieving high removal efficiency and stability across various temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
Surfactants reduce the surface tension of water by adsorbing at the liquid-gas interface
Implementation Method 2
The cleaning compositions are useful for removing a number of challenging stains including non-trans fats and fatty acids by forming emulsions with such oily and greasy soils
Implementation Method 3
They also reduce the interfacial tension between oil and water by adsorbing at the liquid-liquid interface
Implementation Method 4
Surfactants are also often incorporated into an oil-in-water microemulsion to make oil containing products appear more homogenous
Data Source
AI summary
The invention discloses synergistic combinations of surfactant blends and cleaning compositions employing the same. In certain embodiments a surfactant system is disclosed which includes an extended anionic surfactant with novel linker surfactants including one or more of an alkyl glycerol ether, an ethoxylated alkyl glycerol ether, an alcohol ethoxylate and/or a Gemini surfactant. This system forms emulsions with, and can remove greasy and oily stains, even those comprised of non-trans fats. The compositions may be used alone, as a pre-spotter or other pre-treatment or as a part of a soft surface or hard surface cleaning composition.