Multi-Polymer Grease Cleaning System for Low Surfactant Laundry
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Solution Overview
Problem
The detergent industry faces challenges in reducing surfactant dosage while maintaining effective greasy stain removal, particularly with the erosion of cleaning performance due to lower surfactant levels, necessitating alternative cleaning mechanisms in laundry detergents.
Innovation Solution
The development of a multi-polymer system comprising amphiphilic alkoxylated grease cleaning polymers and either clay soil cleaning polymers or soil suspending polymers, which work together to enhance cleaning efficacy even at low surfactant concentrations, available in various forms such as granules, liquids, or gels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If surfactant dosage is reduced to lower cost and improve environmental sensitivity, then cost and environmental performance improve, but greasy stain removal capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical structure parameters of the cleaning agents by using alkoxylated polyalkylenimine polymers with specific ethoxylate and propoxylate group ratios. This structural modification allows the polymer to maintain grease cleaning effectiveness at lower concentrations compared to traditional surfactants
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite cleaning system by combining alkoxylated polyalkylenimine polymers with conventional surfactants. This composite approach leverages the grease-removing capability of the polymer system while maintaining the proven performance of traditional surfactants, achieving effective cleaning at reduced overall surfactant dosage
2Object-affected harmful factors
If surfactant levels are reduced to address environmental concerns, then environmental performance improves, but overall cleaning performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the cleaning system by introducing polymers with specific alkoxylate group parameters (5-40 ethoxylate groups and 0-20 propoxylate groups per -NH group). These parameter changes enable the polymer to provide effective soil removal with reduced environmental impact compared to high-surfactant formulations
Solution Approach 2:
The alkoxylated polyalkylenimine polymer acts as an intermediary cleaning mechanism that bridges the gap between environmental concerns and cleaning effectiveness. It provides an alternative cleaning pathway that does not rely heavily on conventional surfactants, thus reducing environmental impact while maintaining cleaning performance
3Quantity of substance
If polymer systems are introduced to replace surfactants, then surfactant dosage can be reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the cleaning function by dividing it between two distinct components: alkoxylated polyalkylenimine polymers for grease removal and conventional surfactants for general cleaning. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while working together in a simplified formulation framework
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
This polymer system effectively removes grease and suspends soils, maintaining cleaning performance across a broad range of soils and stains, even with reduced surfactant levels, ensuring effective laundry detergents in various formulations.
Implementation Method 1
Like surfactants, polymers may be useful as releases of soil from fabric. The amphiphilic alkoxylated grease cleaning polymer comprises a core structure and a plurality of alkoxylate groups
Implementation Method 2
some polymers provide for suspension of soils dispersed in the wash liquor, which in turn prevents their deposition back onto the fabrics being washed
Implementation Method 3
The clay soil cleaning polymer is selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated oligamines, ethoxylated oligamine methyl quats, ethoxylated oligoamine benzyl quats
Data Source
AI summary
Laundry detergents and cleaning compositions which provide improved cleaning benefits that comprise a novel polymer system. The polymer system comprises one or more amphiphilic alkoxylated grease cleaning polymers, and either a clay soil cleaning polymer; or a soil suspending polymer.