Nonionic Zwitterionic Surfactant Blend Oral Care Foaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumer care products, particularly oral care products, face challenges in replacing anionic surfactants due to irritation issues and the inability to maintain foaming ability without anionic surfactants, which is crucial for product efficacy and fluoride delivery in treating conditions like xerostomia.
Innovation Solution
A foaming agent comprising a non-ionic surfactant, such as a poly(oxyethylene)-poly(oxypropylene) copolymer, and a zwitterionic surfactant, like amido betaine, is used to replace anionic surfactants, maintaining or exceeding foaming ability and reducing irritation in oral care products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If anionic surfactants are used to produce foam in oral care products, then foaming ability is improved, but oral cavity irritation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the surfactant system by replacing anionic surfactants with nonionic and zwitterionic surfactants. This parameter change maintains foaming ability while reducing irritation, as the new surfactant types have different chemical properties that are less irritating to the oral cavity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite surfactant system combining nonionic and zwitterionic surfactants together. This composite approach allows the formulation to achieve the foaming properties traditionally provided by anionic surfactants while incorporating the benefits of both nonionic (low irritation) and zwitterionic (mildness) surfactant types.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If anionic surfactants are removed from consumer products to reduce irritation, then oral cavity irritation decreases, but foaming ability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the concentration and type parameters of surfactants in the formulation. By removing anionic surfactants and introducing nonionic and zwitterionic surfactants at specific concentrations, the formulation achieves reduced irritation while maintaining foaming ability through the new surfactant parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the harmful anionic surfactant component from the formulation while retaining the essential foaming function through nonionic and zwitterionic surfactants. This extraction removes the source of irritation while preserving the desired foaming performance.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If replacement surfactants are used to replace anionic surfactants, then oral cavity irritation is reduced, but product rheology must be modified
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the rheological parameters of the product by selecting nonionic and zwitterionic surfactants with appropriate molecular structures and concentrations. These parameter changes allow the formulation to achieve the desired rheology without extensive modification, as the new surfactants provide suitable flow and stability characteristics.
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 non-ionic and zwitterionic surfactant combination provides equivalent or superior foaming ability to anionic surfactant-based products, while minimizing irritation, effectively treating and alleviating xerostomia without the need for high fluoride concentrations.
Implementation Method 1
a foaming agent comprising nonionic and zwitterionic surfactants may be used to replace foaming agents containing anionic surfactants
Data Source
AI summary
An foaming agent comprising a non-ionic surfactant, zwitterionic surfactant, and free of anionic surfactants which is suitable for use in personal care products, e.g., dentifrice compositions, e.g., for use in the treatment and/or alleviation of xerostomia.