Low CMC Surfactant for Enhanced Detergency and Biodegradability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surfactants, such as polyoxyalkylene alkyl ethers and alkylamines, exhibit insufficient detergency at low concentrations and form complexes with anionic surfactants, reducing detergency and offering poor biodegradability.
Innovation Solution
A detergent comprising a surfactant (a) with a specific molecular structure, characterized by a C7-C20 hydrocarbon group and a critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 0.10 g/L or lower, combined with surfactant (b), which enhances detergency even in low concentrations and when used with anionic surfactants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether is used as a surfactant, then it provides good surface active properties, but it has insufficient detergency when used in low concentration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether (nonionic surfactant) with polyoxyalkylene alkylamine (another type of surfactant) to create a composite surfactant system. This composite approach allows the mixture to achieve excellent detergency at low concentrations, overcoming the limitation of individual surfactants that require higher concentrations to be effective.
2Reliability
If polyoxyalkylene alkylamine is used in combination with anionic surfactant, then it provides excellent detergency when used alone, but it forms a complex through bonds between amine groups and anion groups, reducing detergency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether as an intermediary component that mediates between polyoxyalkylene alkylamine and anionic surfactants. This intermediary prevents direct harmful interactions (complex formation) between the amine and anion groups while maintaining the excellent detergency properties of the alkylamine, allowing all components to coexist stably.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional surfactants are used to achieve good surface active properties, then they are widely used in various applications, but they adversely affect the environment and ecosystem
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the surfactant system by selecting specific polyoxyalkylene alkyl ethers and alkylamines with controlled molecular structures and ratios. This parameter optimization maintains effective surface activity and detergency while improving biodegradability and reducing environmental harm compared to conventional surfactants.
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 achieves excellent detergency in low concentrations and maintains effectiveness when combined with anionic surfactants, particularly in laundry applications, while offering improved biodegradability.
Implementation Method 1
surfactant (a) having a C7-C20 hydrocarbon group and a polyoxyalkylene group, and having a critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 0.10 g/L or lower
Implementation Method 2
critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 0.10 g/L or lower
Implementation Method 3
surfactant (b) which enhances detergency even in low concentrations and when used with anionic surfactants
Implementation Method 4
when the polyoxyalkylene alkylamine is used in combination with an anionic surfactant which is widely used as a detergent, it forms a complex through bonds between the amine groups and the anion groups
Data Source
AI summary
A surfactant (a) having a critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 0.10 g/L or lower, represented by formula (1): R1-[-O-(A1O)n-H]m (1), wherein R1 is a C7-C20 hydrocarbon group having a valence number of m; m is an integer of 2 to 6; A1 in (A1O)n in each of [-O-(A1O)n-H]m is each independently a C2-C4 alkylene group; n in [-O-(A1O)n-H]m is each independently an integer of 1 to 100; and the sum of n in [-O-(A1O)n-H]m is 13 or greater.