Liquid Laundry Detergent Boosters for Lower Surfactant Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for liquid laundry detergent formulations that maintain primary cleaning performance with reduced surfactant loading, improved anti-redeposition performance, and enhanced biodegradability, while addressing environmental sensitivity and rising material costs.
Innovation Solution
A liquid laundry detergent formulation comprising a liquid carrier, a cleaning surfactant, and a cleaning booster of specific chemical structures (formula I, II, and III) that enhance sebum soil removal, anti-redeposition, and biodegradability, with optimized ratios of components such as divalent linking groups, alkyl groups, and hydrogen content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If surfactant loading is reduced to lower costs and improve environmental sensitivity, then material costs decrease and environmental impact is reduced, but primary cleaning performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cleaning booster as an intermediary substance that mediates between the reduced surfactant concentration and the required cleaning performance. The cleaning booster, with specific molecular structures containing divalent linking groups and hydrophobic/hydrophilic domains, acts as a mediator that enhances the cleaning mechanism, allowing lower surfactant loading while maintaining or improving cleaning effectiveness on sebum soils.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite detergent system combining surfactants with cleaning boosters having specific molecular architectures. This composite formulation integrates two different types of cleaning agents with complementary mechanisms - the surfactant for general cleaning and the cleaning booster with divalent linking groups for enhanced sebum removal - achieving synergistic effects that maintain cleaning performance at reduced surfactant concentrations.
2Reliability
If conventional cleaning boosters are used to maintain cleaning performance, then cleaning effectiveness is maintained, but biodegradability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the molecular parameters of the cleaning booster by incorporating specific divalent linking groups (E1 and E2) with 1 to 4 carbon atoms and controlling the length of alkyl chains (R3 groups). These parameter changes in the molecular structure - specifically the use of shorter, more flexible linking groups and controlled hydrophobic chain lengths - enhance biodegradability while maintaining cleaning effectiveness, as the modified structure is more readily broken down by microorganisms according to OECD 301F protocol.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If surfactant amount is reduced to improve environmental sensitivity, then environmental impact is reduced, but anti-redeposition performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning booster serves as an intermediary that compensates for the reduced anti-redeposition capability of lower surfactant concentrations. The specific molecular structure with divalent linking groups and hydrophobic R3 chains enables the cleaning booster to interact with soil particles and fabric surfaces, providing anti-redeposition functionality that supplements the reduced surfactant system and maintains overall anti-redeposition performance.
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 formulation improves primary cleaning performance for sebum soil removal and anti-redeposition while exhibiting desirable biodegradability profiles according to OECD 301F protocol, maintaining effective cleaning with reduced surfactant use.
Implementation Method 1
The formulation improves primary cleaning performance for sebum soil removal
Implementation Method 2
a cleaning surfactant; and a cleaning booster
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid laundry detergent is provided, comprising: liquid carrier; cleaning surfactant; and cleaning booster of formula (I) wherein E1 and E2 are independently selected from a divalent linking group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; and wherein each R1 is independently of formula (II) wherein the * in formula (II) is the point of attachment to formula (I); wherein each R2 is independently of formula (III) wherein the * in formula (III) is the point of attachment to formula (II); wherein R3 is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen and a C1-22 alkyl group; wherein each R4 and R5 is independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen and a C1-2 alkyl group, with the proviso that at least one of R4 and R5 is a hydrogen in each subunit c; and wherein c is 0 to 30.