Self-Preserved Liquid Detergent via Low Water Activity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry detergents often cause skin and eye irritation due to harsh surfactants and preservatives, and they can contain allergenic solvents like propylene glycol, which can lead to mold and bacterial growth.
Innovation Solution
A self-preserved liquid laundry detergent composition comprising 10-25 wt% water, 20-40 wt% surfactant, and 30-60 wt% non-aqueous solvent with glycerin and a non-reducing sugar, maintaining a water activity less than 0.8 and a pH of 5-7.7, without preservatives and propylene glycol.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If water-based liquid detergent is used, then good cleaning performance is achieved, but mold and bacterial growth occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of water (promoting microbial growth) into a beneficial preservation mechanism by controlling water activity. The low water activity formulation prevents microbial growth while maintaining cleaning efficacy, effectively turning the potential harm of water into a preservation advantage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameter of water from its natural state (water activity = 1.0) to a controlled state (water activity < 0.85). This parameter change fundamentally alters the behavior of water in the detergent, preventing microbial growth while preserving cleaning performance.
2Reliability
If preservatives are added to prevent mold and bacterial growth, then product safety is improved, but skin irritation and allergic reactions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes preservatives from the detergent formulation entirely. By eliminating this harmful component, the patent achieves product safety through an alternative mechanism (low water activity preservation) rather than chemical preservatives, thereby avoiding skin irritation and allergic reactions.
Solution Approach 2:
The detergent formulation becomes self-preserving through its low water activity composition. The system preserves itself without external preservative agents, eliminating the need for harmful chemical additives while maintaining product safety and stability.
3Reliability
If harsh surfactants like LAS are used for cleaning efficacy, then cleaning performance is improved, but skin and eye irritation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the surfactant system, transitioning from harsh anionic surfactants (LAS) to milder nonionic surfactants. This parameter change maintains cleaning effectiveness while significantly reducing skin and eye irritation, addressing the contradiction between performance and mildness.
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 detergent effectively cleans textiles while being mild on skin, reducing allergenic compounds and preventing mold and bacterial growth, thus providing a safe and effective cleaning solution.
Implementation Method 1
wherein the water activity is less than 0.8
Implementation Method 2
Water-based products, like liquid laundry detergents, are prone to growing mold and bacteria. To avoid this and keep products safe and effective, liquid detergents need to have added preservatives.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a detergent composition comprising about 10 to about 25 wt % water, about 20 to about 40 wt % of at least one surfactant, and about 30 to about 60 wt % of a non-aqueous solvent comprising glycerin and a non-reducing sugar, wherein the water activity is less than 0.8, and the detergent composition has a pH of about 5 to 7.7. The detergent composition can further comprise additional components, such as a base, a performance polymer, an anti-redeposition agent, an enzyme, a chelating agent, an optical brightener, a corrosion inhibitor, or a combination thereof. The detergent composition comprises surfactants with improved mildness and solvents with reduced allergic components.