Neutral pH Dishwashing Detergent Reduces Spotting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automatic dishwashing compositions often leave spots or watermarks on dishware due to mineral deposits and surface modifications, which worsen with repeated cycles, despite existing formulations optimized for cleaning and low residue in dishwasher filters.
Innovation Solution
A neutral or acidic automatic dishwashing detergent composition featuring an esterified alkyl alkoxylated surfactant, reduced builder content, a pH regulator system, and specific surfactant and enzyme combinations to maintain a stable pH and enhance cleaning performance, reducing spotting and filming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high pH compositions are used to effectively clean soils and activate bleaches, then cleaning performance is improved, but watermarks and spots are generated on dishware surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the pH parameter from conventional high pH (9-11.5) to neutral or acidic pH (5-7.5). This parameter change resolves the contradiction by maintaining effective cleaning performance through alternative mechanisms (surfactant selection, enzyme systems, chelating agents) while eliminating the harmful surface modification that causes watermarks and spots at high pH levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite formulation combining multiple functional components: specific surfactants (alkyl polyglucosides, alkyl ether sulfates), enzymes (proteases, amylases, lipases), chelating agents (citric acid, EDTA), and builders. This composite approach enables effective cleaning at neutral/acidic pH by distributing cleaning functions across multiple components, thereby avoiding the need for high pH while maintaining cleaning reliability.
2Reliability
If cleaning compositions modify the surface during cleaning, then soils are removed effectively, but water forms discrete droplets that dry to leave noticeable spots
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the surface chemistry parameter by using neutral or acidic pH compositions with specific surfactant selections. This prevents the surface modification that causes hydrophobic droplet formation, allowing water to drain properly without beading, while still achieving effective soil removal through the combined action of surfactants, enzymes, and chelating agents.
3Productivity
If conventional alkaline compositions are used, then initial cleaning is effective, but spotting worsens after multiple wash cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a fundamental parameter change from alkaline to neutral/acidic pH composition. This change provides both effective cleaning per cycle and superior stability over multiple cycles by preventing cumulative surface damage and spotting. The formulation maintains consistent performance across cycles through its balanced system of surfactants, enzymes, and chelating agents that work effectively at neutral/acidic pH.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates rinse aids and surface-conditioning components that work synergistically with the neutral/acidic pH composition to leave a protective film on dishware surfaces. This self-service mechanism prevents subsequent water droplet formation and spotting, enabling the composition to maintain its benefits over multiple wash cycles without external intervention.
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 provides effective cleaning and significantly reduces spotting on dishware, maintaining clarity and shine even after multiple cycles, with improved bleaching performance and reduced need for detergent quantity.
Implementation Method 1
The detergent composition of the invention comprises an esterified alkyl alkoxylated of general formula (I)
Implementation Method 2
a pH regulator system, and specific surfactant and enzyme combinations to maintain a stable pH
Implementation Method 3
specific surfactant and enzyme combinations to maintain a stable pH and enhance cleaning performance
Implementation Method 4
a pH in which triglyceride grease soils are effectively hydrolyzed
Implementation Method 5
These water-marks may be due to the evaporation of water from the surface leaving behind deposits of minerals which were present as dissolved solids in the water
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic dishwashing detergent composition having a pH as measured in 1% weight aqueous solution at 25°C of from about 5 to about 7.5, the composition comprising an esterified alkyl alkoxylated surfactant of general formula (1) wherein R is a branched or unbranched alkyl radical having 8 to 16 carbon atoms; R3, R1 independently of one another, are hydrogen or a branched or unbranched alkyl radical having 1 to 5 carbon atoms; R2 is an unbranched alkyl radical having 5 to 17 carbon atoms; 1, n independently of one another, are a number from 1 to 5 and m is a number from 13 to 35. A single or multi-compartment water-soluble pouch comprising a composition, preferably the pouch comprises a compartment comprising a powder composition and a compartment comprising a liquid composition and wherein the liquid composition comprises the esterified alkyl alkoxylated surfactant. A method of reducing spotting on dishware in automatic dishwashing wherein the dishware can be subjected to multi-cycles. Use of a composition to reduce spotting on dishware in automatic dishwashing wherein the dishware can be subjected to multi-cycles.