Laundry Premix Surfactant Blend for Dilution Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry compositions face challenges in maintaining stability, clarity, and performance when diluted by consumers in domestic settings, particularly due to varying water qualities and hardness, leading to potential precipitation and excessive foaming.
Innovation Solution
A concentrated laundry composition premix is formulated with a specific ratio of non-ionic to anionic surfactants, incorporating an opacifier and controlled pH, to create a stable, aesthetically pleasing, and functionally effective laundry liquid that maintains viscosity and clarity throughout dilution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the composition is diluted by consumers in domestic settings, then the product becomes usable for laundry, but the varying water qualities and hardness cause precipitation and hazy visual appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces specific intermediaries - namely chelating agents (EDTA, NTA) and sequestrants - that mediate between the anionic surfactant and calcium ions in hard water. These intermediaries bind to calcium ions, preventing them from interacting with the surfactant to form precipitates, thus maintaining stability during consumer dilution in varying water qualities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the pH of the composition within a specific range (5.0-9.0, preferably 6.0-8.0) and optimizing the concentration ratios of anionic surfactant to cationic surfactant (9:1 to 1:9) and anionic surfactant to builder (9:1 to 1:9). These parameter adjustments ensure the composition remains stable and visually clear when diluted in domestic settings with varying water hardness
2Ease of operation
If the composition is diluted by consumers, then the product becomes usable, but excessive foaming occurs during dilution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces foam control agents (intermediaries) such as silicones, polyethylene glycols, and fatty acid esters that mediate between the surfactant system and the dilution process. These intermediaries suppress excessive foaming during consumer dilution while maintaining necessary cleaning performance in the final diluted composition
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the concentration of foam control agents (0.1-5.0% of total composition) and adjusting the surfactant blend ratios to achieve the desired foaming characteristics during dilution, balancing ease of operation with controlled foaming behavior
3Reliability
If the composition maintains high surfactant concentration for effective cleaning, then cleaning performance improves, but the composition becomes less stable and more prone to precipitation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials by creating a multi-component surfactant system that combines anionic surfactants (70-95% of total surfactant) with cationic surfactants (5-30% of total surfactant). This composite surfactant blend maintains high effective cleaning performance while the cationic component and associated builders enhance stability, preventing precipitation even at high surfactant concentrations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces builders and chelating agents (intermediaries) such as phosphates, silicates, carboxylic acids, and their salts that mediate between the high concentration anionic surfactant and calcium ions in water. These intermediaries bind calcium ions, preventing them from reacting with the surfactant to form insoluble precipitates, thus maintaining both high cleaning performance and stability
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 remains stable and aesthetically clear, with controlled foaming and appropriate viscosity, ensuring effective cleaning performance in various water conditions without excessive agitation.
Implementation Method 1
incorporating an opacifier and controlled pH, to create a stable, aesthetically pleasing, and functionally effective laundry liquid that maintains viscosity and clarity throughout dilution
Implementation Method 2
A concentrated laundry composition premix is formulated with a specific ratio of non-ionic to anionic surfactants, incorporating an opacifier and controlled pH
Implementation Method 3
maintains viscosity and clarity throughout dilution
Data Source
AI summary
A concentrated laundry composition premix which is dilutable in water to form a laundry liquid composition the viscosity which when formed from a dilution of five parts water to one part premix and measured at 25°C and at 106 s-1 is from 200 to 800 mPa.s., said premix comprising at least 10% wt. water, from 0.1 to 8% wt. ethoxylated polyol ester, from 5 to 70% wt. surfactant active excluding the ethoxylated polyol ester and an opacifier, wherein the surfactant comprises non-ionic surfactant and anionic surfactant and wherein the weight ratio between the non-ionic surfactant and anionic surfactant is from 85:15 to 95:5.