Laundry Detergent Premix Stability with MGDA Chelation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dilutable laundry detergent compositions face challenges in maintaining stability and clarity when diluted at home, as they are affected by varying water qualities, particularly water hardness, leading to potential precipitation and foaming issues, which affect their performance and consumer acceptance.

Innovation Solution

A concentrated laundry detergent composition comprising 10-70% surfactant, 3-15% hydrotrope, and methyl glycine diacetic acid (MGDA) with a pH of 6-8, which forms a clear and stable premix that remains stable upon dilution, using ethoxylated sorbitan ester as a viscosity modifier to manage rheological performance and prevent unwanted precipitation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the premix is diluted at home by consumers, then the product becomes easier to use and more environmentally friendly, but the stability and clarity of the composition deteriorate due to varying water hardness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of dilutionVSAvoidstability upon dilution

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-formulating the concentrated premix with optimal concentrations of surfactants, builders, and stabilizers that are designed to maintain stability during the subsequent dilution step. The composition is prepared in advance with all necessary components to prevent precipitation and maintain clarity even when diluted with hard water, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of home dilution and stability upon dilution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the premix is diluted at home by consumers, then the product becomes more environmentally friendly, but the visual clarity and appearance deteriorate due to precipitation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to home dilutionVSAvoidvisual clarity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of hard water ions into a beneficial outcome by incorporating specific builders and chelating agents that sequester these ions. This prevents precipitation and maintains visual clarity, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability to home dilution and visual clarity by turning the harmful interaction with hard water into a controlled, beneficial complexation process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If high levels of surfactant are used in the premix, then cleaning performance is improved, but foam control becomes difficult and cleaning in horizontal axis washing machines is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning performanceVSAvoidexcessive foaming

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by carefully optimizing the surfactant concentration in the premix to a level that provides sufficient cleaning performance while maintaining acceptable foam characteristics. The concentrated formulation allows for higher effective surfactant levels that are diluted to appropriate concentrations during home use, thus resolving the contradiction between cleaning performance and foam control by managing surfactant concentration across different stages of the product lifecycle.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 ensures a stable, clear, and effective liquid detergent that is resistant to changes in water quality, maintaining desired foaming and cleaning performance, while being easy to dissolve and visually appealing, thus addressing the challenges of stability and performance across different water conditions.

Implementation Method 1

The present invention relates to improved dilutable compositions... a chelating agent... methyl glycine diacetic acid (MGDA)... any introduced calcium ions may interact with neutralised fatty acid to form compounds which can under certain conditions precipitate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChelation:

Implementation Method 2

using ethoxylated sorbitan ester as a viscosity modifier to manage rheological performance

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRheology modification:

Implementation Method 3

This increased level of fatty acid at higher pH improves its anti-foam effect during the use of the composition in the wash regime

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAnti-foam effect: Antifoam

Implementation Method 4

a concentrated laundry detergent composition premix comprising 10 to 70% wt. surfactant

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurfactant action: Surfactant

Data Source

PatentEP4196563B1Laundry detergent composition

Publication Date: 2024.04.24 UNILEVER IP HLDG BV

AI summary

A concentrated laundry detergent composition premix comprising 10 to 70% wt. surfactant, a fatty acid, and methyl glycine diacetic acid (MGDA), from 3 to 15% wt. hydrotrope, and having a pH of from 6 to 8.. A method for forming a laundry detergent composition by diluting such a premix in water such that the final concentration of fatty acid anti-foam is from 0.5 to 1.5% wt. A container comprising a premix.