Polymer Structured Aqueous Detergent Viscosity Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Concentrated aqueous detergent compositions face challenges in maintaining high pour viscosity while providing suspending rheology, as certain polymers used to enhance detergency reduce pour viscosity, and existing copolymers either fail to increase pour viscosity sufficiently or require additional rheology modifying materials.
Innovation Solution
A polymer structured aqueous detergent composition incorporating a specific copolymer formed by addition polymerization of ethylenically unsaturated diacids, monoacidic monomers, and surfmers, which increases pour viscosity and provides the necessary rheology for suspending particles, counteracting the viscosity-reducing effects of other polymers like ethoxylated polyethylene imine and polyester soil release polymers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If concentrated aqueous detergent compositions use polymers like ethoxylated polyethylene imine and polyester soil release polymers to enhance detergency, then cleaning performance is improved, but pour viscosity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple polymer types in a composite system: a first copolymer (acrylic/methacrylic acid with alkyl ester and crosslinker) for viscosity enhancement, a second copolymer (acrylic/methacrylic acid with alkyl ester and surfmer) for detergency, along with ethoxylated polyethylene imine and polyester soil release polymers. This composite approach allows the viscosity-enhancing first copolymer to counterbalance the viscosity-reducing effect of the cleaning polymers, maintaining overall pour viscosity while achieving enhanced cleaning performance.
2Stability of the object's composition
If existing copolymers are used to increase pour viscosity, then viscosity is improved, but additional rheology modifying materials are required
Solution Approach 1:
The first copolymer (comprising acrylic/methacrylic acid, alkyl ester, and crosslinker) is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it increases pour viscosity, provides suspending rheology for particles, and counteracts the viscosity-reducing effects of other polymers in the formulation. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate rheology modifying materials, reducing formulation complexity while achieving the desired rheological properties.
3Reliability
If acrylate copolymers are used at high levels to provide suspending rheology, then particle suspension is improved, but pour viscosity becomes excessively high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different copolymers with specialized functions at different concentrations: the first copolymer (acrylic/methacrylic acid with alkyl ester and crosslinker) is used specifically for viscosity control and suspending rheology at optimized levels, while the second copolymer (acrylic/methacrylic acid with alkyl ester and surfmer) handles detergency. This localized functional assignment allows each copolymer to perform its specific role efficiently without one polymer needing to compensate for another's limitations, achieving particle suspension without excessive pour viscosity.
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 achieves increased pour viscosities while maintaining suitable rheology for suspending and spraying, effectively counteracting the viscosity-reducing effects of other polymers, ensuring stable particle suspension and improved user experience.
Implementation Method 1
a copolymer formed by the addition polymerisation of: (A) 0.1 to 5 wt% of a first monomer consisting of an ethylenically unsaturated diacid of formula (I)
Implementation Method 2
these types of acrylates copolymers give an undesirably high pour viscosity if they are used at a high enough level to provide a suspending rheology
Implementation Method 3
the liquid should have rheology that provides a yield stress (also known as critical stress) so that the particles remain stably suspended and dispersed
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
An aqueous polymer structured detergent liquid composition comprising: (i) a surfactant system comprising surfactant and alkaline material present as surfactant salts and/or as free base, (ii) optionally, 0.01 wt% or more suspended particles, (iii) optionally, 3 wt% or more polymer that reduces the composition viscosity at 20 s-1, and (iv) at least 0.05 wt% of a suspending system comprising copolymer formed by the addition polymerisation of: (A) 0.1 to 5 wt% of a first monomer consisting of an ethylenically unsaturated diacid of formula (I): HOOC-CR1=CR2-COOH or an unsaturated cyclic anhydride precursor of such an ethylenically unsaturated diacid, the anhydride having formula (II) where R1 and R2 are individually selected from H, C1-C3 alkyl, phenyl, chlorine and bromine; (B) 15 to 60 wt% of a second ethylenically unsaturated monoacidic monomer consisting of (meth)acrylic acid; (C) 30 to 70 wt% of a third ethylenically unsaturated monomer consisting of C1-C8 alkyl ester of (meth)acrylic acid; (D) 1 to 25 wt%, of a fourth ethylenically unsaturated monomer, consisting of surfmer of formula (III) wherein each R3 and R4 are each independently selected from H, methyl, -C(=O)OH, or -C(=O)OR5; R5 is a C1-C30 alkyl; T is -CH2C(=O)O-, -C(=O)O-, -O-, -CH2O-, -NHC(=O)NH-, -C(=O)NH-, -Ar-(CE2)2-NHC(=O)O-, -Ar-(CE2)2-NHC(=O)NH-, or -CH2CH2NHC(=O)-; Ar is divalent aryl; E is H or methyl; z is 0 or 1; k is an integer in the range of 0 to 30; and m is 0 or 1; with the proviso that when k is 0, m is 0, and when k is in the range of 1 to 30; m is 1; (R6O)n is polyoxyalkylene, which is a homopolymer, a random copolymer, or a block copolymer of C2-C4-oxyalkylene units, wherein R6 is C2H4, C3H6, C4H8, or a mixture thereof, and n is an integer in the range of 5 to 250;Y is -R6O-, -R6-, -C(=O)-, -C(=O)NH-, =R6NHC(=O)NH-, or -C(=O)NHC(=O)-; and R7 is substituted or unsubstituted alkyl selected from the group consisting of C8-C40 linear alkyl, C8-C40 branched alkyl, C8-C40 carbocyclic alkyl, C2-C40 alkyl-substituted, phenyl, aryl-substituted C2- C40 alkyl, and C8-C80 complex ester; wherein the R7 alkyl group optionally comprises one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, alkoxy, and halogen; and (E) 0.005 to 5 wt%, of a cross linking agent, for introducing branching and controlling molecular weight, the cross linking monomer comprising polyfunctional units carrying multiple reactive functionalisation groups selected from the group consisting of vinyl, allyl and functional mixtures thereof.