Polymer Blends Replace Amine Oxide in Hand Dishwashing Detergents

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hand dishwashing detergents rely heavily on amine oxides for foaming properties, but they pose solubility issues and supply disruptions, necessitating alternatives that maintain foaming performance while reducing or eliminating amine oxide usage.

Innovation Solution

The use of blends of polyethyleneimine ethoxylates (PEI-EO) and high molecular weight polyethylene glycol (PEG) to reduce or replace amine oxide, enhancing foaming capabilities and allowing for up to a 90% reduction in amine oxide content in hand dishwashing detergent compositions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If amine oxide is used as foam booster in hand dishwashing detergent, then foaming performance is improved, but solubility issues and supply disruption risks occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefoaming performanceVSAvoidsupply reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by replacing amine oxide with a blend of polyethyleneimine ethoxylate and polyethylene glycol. This substitution maintains the foaming performance while eliminating solubility issues and supply disruption risks associated with amine oxide, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a composite material system consisting of polyethyleneimine ethoxylate and polyethylene glycol in specific ratios (30:70 to 70:30). This composite approach achieves superior foaming performance and eliminates the supply reliability issues of single-component amine oxide systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Productivity

If amine oxide is used to achieve high plate count, then consumer perception of premium quality is improved, but manufacturing issues and supply disruption occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplate countVSAvoidmanufacturing reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the formulation parameters by substituting amine oxide with a controlled blend of polyethyleneimine ethoxylate and polyethylene glycol. This change maintains high plate count achievement while eliminating manufacturing issues and supply disruption, thereby improving manufacturing reliability without sacrificing productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If amine oxide is reduced or eliminated, then solubility issues and supply risks are reduced, but foaming performance may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesupply reliabilityVSAvoidfoaming performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a composite system of polyethyleneimine ethoxylate and polyethylene glycol in optimized ratios to replace amine oxide. This composite formulation not only eliminates supply reliability issues but also maintains or enhances foaming performance, thus resolving the contradiction between supply reliability and foaming performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the concentration ratios of polyethyleneimine ethoxylate and polyethylene glycol (ranging from 30:70 to 70:30) to achieve superior foaming performance while eliminating amine oxide. This parameter optimization ensures that foaming performance is maintained or improved while gaining supply reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Reliability

If polymer blends of PEI-EO and PEG are used to replace amine oxide, then manufacturing reliability is improved, but formulation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing reliabilityVSAvoidformulation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent manages formulation complexity by optimizing the ratio parameters of polyethyleneimine ethoxylate and polyethylene glycol within specific ranges (30:70 to 70:30). This parameter control simplifies the blending process and maintains manufacturing reliability while avoiding excessive formulation complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 blend of PEI-EO and PEG generates more foam than amine oxide alone, maintaining or exceeding foaming performance, even when amine oxide is significantly reduced or eliminated, thereby addressing the limitations of amine oxide-based detergents.

Implementation Method 1

hand dishwashing detergent compositions which produce a significant amount of foam... comprising water; surfactant base; and foaming booster consisting of amine oxide, and one or more of polyethyleneimine ethoxylate and polyethylene glycol

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurfactant: Surfactant

Data Source

PatentUS12077731B2Use of polymer blends to reduce or eliminate amine oxide in hand dishwashing detergents

Publication Date: 2024.09.03 HENKEL KGAA

AI summary

A method of improving or stabilizing foaming of a hand dishwashing detergent composition when combined with water is achieved by providing one or more of polyethyleneimine ethoxylate and polyethylene glycol to a hand dishwashing detergent composition comprising an amine oxide. Hand dishwashing detergent compositions to reduce amine oxide content contain water, surfactant base, and foaming booster consisting of amine oxide, and one or more of polyethyleneimine ethoxylate and polyethylene glycol. A foaming booster consisting of polyethyleneimine ethoxylate and polyethylene glycol can eliminate use of amine oxides.