Polymeric Cleaning Booster for Liquid Laundry Additives
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for liquid laundry additives that maintain primary cleaning performance while reducing surfactant loading in liquid or gel laundry detergent formulations, while also providing improved anti-redeposition performance.
Innovation Solution
A liquid laundry additive comprising a cleaning booster polymer with structural units of a monoethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer and an ethylenically unsaturated monomer, specifically formulated to enhance cleaning performance and anti-redeposition capabilities with reduced surfactant usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If surfactant loading is reduced in liquid laundry detergent formulations, then environmental sensitivity and material cost concerns are addressed, but primary cleaning performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a polymer intermediary substance that mediates between the reduced surfactant and the fabric/soil interface. This polymer contains hydrophobic segments that interact with soil particles and hydrophilic segments that interact with water, effectively replacing part of the surfactant's function and maintaining cleaning performance despite lower surfactant loading.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite cleaning system combining surfactants with specifically designed polymers having amphiphilic characteristics. This composite material approach allows the system to achieve cleaning efficacy equivalent to or better than higher surfactant loads by leveraging the synergistic effects of both components.
2Quantity of substance
If surfactant loading is reduced in liquid laundry detergent formulations, then material costs decrease, but anti-redeposition performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The polymer acts as an intermediary anti-redeposition agent that forms protective barriers on fabric surfaces. Its amphiphilic structure allows it to adsorb onto fabric while extending into the wash solution to prevent soil reattachment, compensating for the reduced surfactant's anti-redeposition capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical-chemical parameters of the cleaning system by introducing polymers with specific molecular weights, charge densities, and amphiphilic ratios. These parameter changes enable the system to maintain anti-redeposition performance through steric and electrostatic mechanisms rather than relying solely on surfactant-based mechanisms.
3Reliability
If polymer is added to liquid detergent formulations, then cleaning performance is enhanced, but formulation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies narrow parameter ranges for polymer properties (molecular weight 1,000-100,000 Da, specific charge densities, controlled amphiphilic ratios) to optimize cleaning performance while maintaining formulation simplicity. By controlling these parameters, the invention achieves high cleaning efficacy without requiring complex formulation adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The polymer is designed with local quality variations through its amphiphilic structure, where hydrophobic segments concentrate at the soil-water interface while hydrophilic segments remain in the aqueous phase. This localized functional distribution allows the single polymer component to perform multiple functions (cleaning, anti-redeposition, soil suspension) without increasing overall formulation complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid laundry additive is provided, comprising a cleaning booster polymer having structural units of a monoethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer; structural units of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer of formula (I)wherein a is an average of 1-3; wherein b is an average of 1-3; wherein c is an average of 0-5; wherein d is 4-100; wherein A is an anion; and wherein M is a cation charge balancing the anion; and optionally, structural units of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer of formula (II)wherein each R2 is independently selected from a —C1-4 alkyl group; and wherein each R3 is independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen and a methyl group.