Laundry Composition C16/18 Surfactants Delay Spill Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid laundry compositions often result in stains and detergent perfume smells due to rapid absorption of spills into textiles, particularly nylon elastane fabrics, and existing solutions fail to address this issue while also considering environmental impact and consumer desire for fewer ingredients.
Innovation Solution
A laundry liquid composition comprising at least 50% water, alkyl ether sulphate surfactants with C16/18 alkyl chains, and alcohol ethoxylates, which slow down the absorption of spills into nylon elastane textiles, allowing for easier removal and reducing environmental impact by using bio-based sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional surfactants are used in liquid laundry compositions, then cleaning effectiveness is maintained, but spills are rapidly absorbed into textiles causing stains and detergent perfume smells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the surfactant by specifying C16/18 alkyl chains with at least 10% weight content, which modifies the absorption characteristics and delays spill uptake into textiles, reducing staining and perfume smell while maintaining cleaning effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite surfactant system combining alkyl ether sulphate and alcohol ethoxylate with specific C16/18 alkyl chain composition, creating a synergistic effect that delays absorption and reduces harmful effects of spills
2Object-affected harmful factors
If bio-based surfactants with C16/18 alkyl chains are used, then environmental impact is reduced and spill absorption is delayed, but formulation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies precise parameter ranges (C16/18 alkyl chains, at least 10% weight content) for bio-based surfactants, which standardizes the formulation and actually simplifies compliance while maintaining environmental benefits and spill reduction properties
Solution Approach 2:
The C16/18 alkyl chain surfactant formulation serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides cleaning action, delays spill absorption, reduces environmental impact through bio-based sources, and maintains compatibility with existing laundry composition ingredients
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 significantly delays the absorption of spills into textiles, reducing staining and perfume smell, while being made from bio-based sources that can replace conventional surfactants, thus addressing environmental concerns and consumer preferences.
Implementation Method 1
Surfactants are important for lowering water-tension to ensure the wash-liquor (which is a suitable dilution of the neat liquid laundry composition with water) gets into more effective contact with the surface of the textiles to be cleaned. Surfactants also play a role in suspending/dissolving soils more easily from the textile surfaces into the wash liquor.
Implementation Method 2
use of at least one of the alkyl ether sulphate and alcohol ethoxylate comprising at least 10% weight C16/18 alkyl chains provides drops, which when spilled onto nylon elastane textile take longer to be absorbed into the nylon elastane textile surface
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry liquid composition comprising at least 50 % wt. water, an alkyl ether sulphate surfactant and an alcohol ethoxylate surfactant, wherein at least one of the alkyl ether sulphate and alcohol ethoxylate comprises at least 10% weight C16/18 alkyl chains and a dye.