Multi-Ion Storage Stabilization for Aqueous Home Care

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing storage stabilization agents for aqueous home care formulations often rely on conventional antimicrobials like isothiazolinones, which pose environmental and health risks, and are ineffective in high pH conditions, leading to microbial growth and quality degradation during storage.

Innovation Solution

A storage stabilization agent comprising at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources, including bismuth ions, lithium ions, magnesium ions, and alkali ions, selected from alkali carbonate and hydromagnesite, which effectively stabilizes aqueous home care formulations against microbial growth without the need for additional antimicrobials.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional antimicrobials like isothiazolinones are used for storage stabilization, then microbial growth is inhibited, but environmental and health risks increase and effectiveness is lost in high pH conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage stabilization effectivenessVSAvoidenvironmental and health risks
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the chemical parameters by using multiple ion sources (bismuth, lithium, magnesium, and alkali ions) instead of conventional antimicrobials. This parameter change enables effective storage stabilization in high pH conditions without the harmful effects of isothiazolinones, directly resolving the contradiction between effectiveness and safety

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts and eliminates harmful substances (isothiazolinones and other conventional antimicrobials) from the formulation while maintaining storage stabilization functionality through alternative ion-based mechanisms, thus removing the harmful factors while preserving the desired effect

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If conventional antimicrobials are used, then microbial growth is controlled, but the formulation requires additional harmful substances and becomes less environmentally friendly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepreservation against microorganismsVSAvoidharmful substances in formulation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes harmful substances from the formulation by replacing conventional antimicrobials with a multi-ion system comprising bismuth, lithium, magnesium, and alkali ions, thereby achieving microbial control without introducing harmful factors

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the compositional parameters by using naturally occurring ions at controlled concentrations (e.g., bismuth ions at 1-100 ppm, lithium ions at 10-500 ppm) to achieve preservation through non-harmful mechanisms, eliminating the need for harmful antimicrobial substances

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If storage stabilizers are used to prevent quality degradation, then formulation stability is improved, but the complexity of the formulation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveformulation stability upon storageVSAvoidformulation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The multi-ion system serves multiple functions simultaneously: pH buffering, microbial inhibition, and quality stabilization, thereby improving formulation stability without proportionally increasing complexity. The ions work synergistically to achieve multiple stabilization goals with a unified approach

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 proposed solution stabilizes aqueous home care formulations for an extended period against microorganisms, maintains quality parameters, and is non-toxic and environmentally friendly, reducing the reliance on harmful antimicrobials.

Implementation Method 1

a storage stabilization agent comprising at least two different water soluble or water dispersible ion sources selected from the group consisting of water soluble or water dispersible source of bismuth ions, water soluble or water dispersible source of lithium ions, water dispersible source of magnesium ions and at least a water soluble or water dispersible source of alkali ions

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAntimicrobial action of metal ions:

Data Source

PatentUS20250197778A1Storage stabilization agent for aqueous home care formulations
Publication Date: 2025.06.19 OMYA INT AG

AI summary

The present invention relates to the use of a storage stabilization agent for stabilizing an aqueous home care formulation upon storage, wherein the storage stabilization agent comprises at least two different water soluble or water dispersible ion sources selected from the group consisting of water soluble or water dispersible source of bismuth ions, water soluble or water dispersible source of lithium ions, water soluble or water dispersible source of magnesium ions and at least a water soluble or water dispersible source of alkali ions, wherein the water soluble or water dispersible source of alkali ions is selected from alkali carbonate and/or alkali bicarbonate and wherein the water dispersible source of magnesium ions is selected from magnesium carbonate or magnesite (MgCO3) and/or hydromagnesite (Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2·4H2O).