Liquid Composition pH Control for Antimicrobial Activity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleansing compositions struggle to provide both mildness and superior antimicrobial activity, especially when formulated to be free of harsh ingredients like sulfates and halogenated actives.
Innovation Solution
A liquid composition comprising 2-20% anionic surfactant, 0.2-8% acid with specific pKa and log P values, water, and optionally a liquid structuring agent, formulated to yield a wash solution with a pH of 2.9 to 5.2, which is substantially sulfate-free.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If cleansing compositions are formulated to be mild and free of harsh ingredients like sulfates and halogenated actives, then skin compatibility is improved, but antimicrobial activity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by adjusting the pH of the wash solution to a specific range (2.9-5.2) and selecting acids with specific pKa values (1-8) and log P values (0-4.95). This transforms a mild cleansing composition into one with enhanced antimicrobial activity through controlled chemical parameter modification rather than adding harsh ingredients.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite formulation combining anionic surfactants with specific acids (having defined pKa and log P ranges) to achieve both mildness and antimicrobial activity. This composite approach allows the synergistic interaction between surfactant and acid components to provide dual functionality without using traditional harsh antimicrobial agents.
2Reliability
If traditional biocidal ingredients are used to achieve superior antimicrobial activity, then antimicrobial efficacy is improved, but mildness on skin deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using traditional biocidal ingredients, the patent changes the chemical parameters by formulating with acids having specific pKa (1-8) and log P (0-4.95) ranges. This parameter-based approach achieves antimicrobial efficacy through controlled acidity rather than harsh biocides, maintaining skin compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive and potentially harmful traditional antimicrobial agents with a simpler, more accessible acid-surfactant system. This substitution uses readily available acid components with defined properties to achieve the same or better antimicrobial effect without the skin irritation associated with conventional biocides.
3Reliability
If sulfates and halogenated actives are included in the formulation, then antimicrobial activity is improved, but skin harshness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates harsh ingredients like sulfates and halogenated actives from the formulation. By removing these problematic components and replacing them with a mild acid-surfactant system (using acids with specific pKa and log P ranges), the formulation achieves antimicrobial activity without skin harshness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes traditional harsh antimicrobial agents with a parameter-controlled acid system. By specifying acids with pKa values of 1-8 and log P values of 0-4.95, the formulation achieves comparable or superior antimicrobial activity through controlled chemical parameters rather than harsh substance selection.
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 achieves a Log10 Reduction of at least 1.0 against E. coli and S. aureus within 15 seconds, and up to 3.0 after 35 seconds, while maintaining mildness on skin, as indicated by Zein solubilization assays.
Implementation Method 1
formulated to generate or yield a wash solution having a pH from 2.9 to 5.2
Implementation Method 2
The liquid composition comprises an anionic surfactant and an acid
Implementation Method 3
yields superior antimicrobial activity when used in cleansing applications
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is directed to a mild liquid composition with enhanced antimicrobial activity. The liquid composition of the present invention is mild and unexpectedly yields superior antimicrobial activity when used in cleansing applications. The liquid composition comprises an anionic surfactant and an acid, and is formulated to yield a wash solution having a pH from 2.9 to 5.2.