Plastic Rinse Aid Surfactant Blend for Sheeting and Fast Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current rinse aid compositions for plastics and other wares lack effective sheeting, wetting, and fast drying properties, often resulting in spotting and filming issues, and require higher active levels of surfactants.
Innovation Solution
A surfactant system comprising a combination of alcohol alkoxylate surfactants, including Guerbet alcohol surfactants, which provides synergy to achieve improved sheeting, wetting, and drying at low active levels, suitable for both liquid and solid formulations and various temperature applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional surfactant systems are used at higher active levels, then cleaning coverage is improved, but sheeting and drying performance deteriorates with spotting and filming issues
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical parameters by selecting specific surfactant types (Guerbet alcohol ethoxylates with 2-4 moles of ethylene oxide, combined with C12-C18 fatty acid alkoxylates) and optimizing their concentration ratio (0.1-5.0 ppm Guerbet component). This parameter optimization achieves effective sheeting and drying performance at lower concentrations, resolving the contradiction between quantity and performance reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite surfactant system combining two different surfactant types (Guerbet alcohol ethoxylates and C12-C18 fatty acid alkoxylates) in specific ratios. This composite approach synergistically improves both sheeting/drying performance and reduces the total surfactant concentration needed, simultaneously addressing both the quantity and reliability parameters.
2Quantity of substance
If higher active levels of surfactants are used, then wetting coverage is improved, but drying speed deteriorates with spot formation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the molecular parameters of the surfactants by selecting Guerbet alcohol ethoxylates with 2-4 moles of ethylene oxide and C12-C18 fatty acid alkoxylates. This specific parameter selection enables effective wetting at low concentrations while promoting rapid water evaporation and preventing spot formation during drying, thus improving both wetting coverage and drying speed simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention copies the successful molecular structure characteristics of Guerbet alcohols (branched C10-C14 alkyl chains) into the surfactant system. This structural copying provides optimal balance between hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions, enabling effective wetting at low concentrations and rapid drying without spotting, resolving the contradiction between quantity and speed.
3Reliability
If conventional surfactant systems are used, then basic rinsing function is achieved, but sheeting performance deteriorates resulting in poor drying
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the surface tension parameters by selecting surfactants with specific HLB values and molecular structures (Guerbet alcohol ethoxylates with 2-4 EO moles). These parameter changes enable the formation of continuous, uniform sheets that promote rapid water removal and drying, while maintaining reliable basic rinsing function. The optimized concentration (0.1-5.0 ppm) achieves both objectives.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite surfactant system combines Guerbet alcohol ethoxylates (providing excellent sheeting through their branched structure) with C12-C18 fatty acid alkoxylates (providing reliable rinsing function). This composite material approach synergistically improves sheeting performance while maintaining basic rinsing reliability, resolving the contradiction between these two parameters.
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 surfactant system effectively reduces contact angles, leading to enhanced sheeting and faster drying on plastic surfaces with fewer spots, while requiring lower concentrations of surfactants, thus improving rinse aid performance without increasing costs or environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
Rinsing, wetting and sheeting agents are used in a variety of applications to lower the surface tension of water to allow a solution to wet surfaces more effectively
Implementation Method 2
allow a solution to wet surfaces more effectively
Implementation Method 3
promote drying and to prevent the formation of spots on the ware being washed
Data Source
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AI summary
Surfactant systems and compositions incorporating the same are disclosed for use as rinse aids on plastics and other wares. The surfactant systems and compositions include both liquid and solid formulations, along with methods of use for treating plastics and other wares. The surfactant systems and compositions provide synergistic combinations allowing lower actives in composition formulations of the plastic-compatible surfactant systems providing good sheeting, wetting and drying properties.