Green Solvent Cleaning Composition for Stain Removal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Commercially available cleaners often contain hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that pose health and environmental risks, are flammable, and lack effectiveness in removing tough stains like permanent marker ink from various surfaces, while eco-friendly alternatives compromise on performance.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning composition comprising a blend of dibasic esters, such as dialkyl methylglutarate and dialkyl adipate or ethylsuccinate, combined with surfactants and optionally d-limonene, which is non-toxic, non-flammable, and biodegradable, effectively removes stains from diverse surfaces including plastics, paints, and textiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional VOC-based solvents are used, then cleaning performance is improved, but health and environmental safety deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by replacing VOC-based solvents with green solvent alternatives (dibasic esters, glycol ethers, alcohols) that have lower toxicity and environmental impact. This parameter change maintains cleaning performance while improving health and environmental safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite cleaning formulations that combine multiple green solvent components (dibasic esters, glycol ethers, alcohols) with surfactants and other additives to achieve the cleaning performance previously provided by VOC-based solvents, while maintaining non-flammability and low toxicity.
2Productivity
If aggressive solvents are used, then stain removal capability is improved, but substrate damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical aggressiveness parameters by using milder green solvents (dibasic esters, glycol ethers) instead of aggressive VOCs, while adjusting formulation parameters (surfactant content, pH) to maintain effective stain removal without causing substrate damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces surfactants and other auxiliary components as intermediaries that enhance the cleaning action of green solvents, allowing mild solvents to achieve effective stain removal without requiring aggressive chemistry that would damage substrates.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If eco-friendly solvents are used, then environmental safety is improved, but cleaning effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates composite formulations combining multiple green solvent components (dibasic esters, glycol ethers, alcohols) with surfactants and additives to achieve cleaning effectiveness comparable to or exceeding conventional VOC-based cleaners, while maintaining environmental safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the chemical mechanism of VOC-based solvents with alternative chemical mechanisms using green solvents, utilizing different molecular interaction patterns (hydrogen bonding, dipole-dipole interactions) to achieve effective cleaning without relying on volatile organic compounds.
4Productivity
If flammable VOC solvents are used, then cleaning power is improved, but fire hazard increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the flammability parameter by selecting green solvent components (dibasic esters, glycol ethers, alcohols) with inherently higher flash points and lower volatility than VOCs, eliminating fire hazards while maintaining cleaning power through formulation optimization.
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 meets low VOC exemption criteria, is environmentally friendly, and provides high cleaning efficacy on a range of stains without damaging surfaces, outperforming conventional cleaners in removing permanent marker ink and other tough stains.
Implementation Method 1
a cleaning composition comprising a blend of dibasic esters
Implementation Method 2
one or more surfactants selected from the group consisting of an anionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, an amphoteric surfactant, a zwitterionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant
Data Source
AI summary
An environmentally-friendly cleaning composition for industrial and consumer applications comprising (a) a blend of dibasic esters, (b) one or more surfactants (c) and, optionally, (d) water or a solvent. The dibasic esters are be derived from a blend of adipic, glutaric, and succinic diacids, and, in one particular embodiment, the blend comprises dialkyl adipate, dialkyl methylglutarate and dialkyl ethylsuccinate, wherein the alkyl groups individually comprise a C1-C12 hydrocarbon group. The one or more surfactants are typically chosen from alcohol alkoxylate, an alkyl phenol ethoxylate, a terpene, a terpene alkoxylate or any derivates thereof. Optionally, additional components or additives including delaminates such as pinene and d-limonene, fragrances, whiteners, stabilizers, thickeners and the like can be added to the composition. The industrial or consumer application selected from the group consisting of a graffiti cleaner, a painted-substrate cleaner, an ink cleaner, a metal substrate cleaner, a plastic substrate cleaner, an environmentally friendly cleaner, a stain-spot cleaner, an industrial hand cleaner, a resin cleaner, a tar resin cleaner, a textile cleaner, a paint stripper and any combination thereof.