Rinse Aid Composition for Fast Draining and Spot-Free Plasticware
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rinse aid compositions fail to effectively reduce spotting and filming on various surfaces, particularly plasticware, and do not provide adequate drying and draining times.
Innovation Solution
A rinse aid composition comprising a sheeting agent, a defoaming agent, and an association disruption agent, along with a chelating/sequestering agent, which synergistically work to create a low foaming, moderately low viscoelastic composition with enhanced wetting properties, reducing spotting and filming while improving drying and draining times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional rinse aid compositions are used, then the formulation is simple, but the drying and draining performance is insufficient and spotting occurs on surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite rinse aid composition comprising multiple surfactant types (anionic, cationic, nonionic) and functional additives (carriers, hydrotropes, chelating agents) working synergistically. This composite formulation achieves superior drying and draining performance by combining the sheeting properties of anionic surfactants with the low surface tension of cationic surfactants and the stability of nonionic surfactants, while the additional ingredients enhance specific functions such as carrier delivery, hydrotrope-assisted wetting, and chelation to prevent spotting.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes multiple parameters including the concentration ranges of different surfactant types (anionic: 1-10 wt%, cationic: 1-10 wt%, nonionic: 1-10 wt%), the types and amounts of carriers (50-90 wt%), hydrotropes (1-20 wt%), and chelating agents (1-20 wt%). By carefully controlling these parameters and their interactions, the formulation achieves enhanced drying and draining performance while preventing spotting on various surfaces including plasticware.
2Ease of manufacture
If rinse aid composition is simplified, then the manufacturing is easier, but the wetting properties and contact angle reduction are inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies precise parameter ranges for achieving optimal wetting properties: anionic surfactant concentration (1-10 wt%), cationic surfactant concentration (1-10 wt%), nonionic surfactant concentration (1-10 wt%), carrier content (50-90 wt%), hydrotrope content (1-20 wt%), and chelating agent content (1-20 wt%). These controlled parameters ensure consistent contact angle reduction and wetting performance while maintaining manufacturability through standard mixing processes.
3Reliability
If conventional rinse aids are used, then the composition is straightforward, but the spotting prevention on plastic surfaces is ineffective
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite formulation specifically optimized for plastic surface protection, combining anionic surfactants for sheeting, cationic surfactants for low surface tension contact, nonionic surfactants for stability, carriers for delivery, hydrotropes for enhanced wetting on hydrophobic surfaces like plastic, and chelating agents to prevent metal ion-induced spotting. This multi-component composite system provides reliable spotting prevention on plasticware while maintaining clarity and finish.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces hydrotropes as intermediary substances that mediate between the surfactants and plastic surfaces. Hydrotropes enhance the wetting of hydrophobic plastic surfaces by reducing surface tension and improving contact angle, while carriers act as intermediaries to deliver the active surfactant components evenly across the surface. These intermediary agents enable effective spotting prevention on plastic surfaces without requiring the surfactants to directly contact the hydrophobic material.
4Loss of time
If the rinse aid formulation is enhanced with multiple agents, then the drying time is reduced, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite surfactant system where anionic, cationic, and nonionic surfactants work synergistically to accelerate drying. The anionic surfactants provide sheeting action that promotes liquid removal, while cationic surfactants reduce surface tension to enhance wetting and distribution. Nonionic surfactants maintain film stability and prevent premature drying. The carriers (50-90 wt%) facilitate even distribution and penetration into the rinse aid formulation, while hydrotropes and chelating agents prevent spotting during the accelerated drying process. This coordinated composite system reduces drying time while managing formulation complexity through established chemical compatibility principles.
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 effectively reduces spotting and filming on surfaces such as plasticware, cookware, dishware, and glass surfaces, achieving drying times of 30 to 90 seconds and enhancing wetting properties for applications like aseptic packaging/filling.
Implementation Method 1
The rinse aid compositions generally include a sheeting agent, a defoaming agent, and an association disruption agent... the sheeting agent comprises at least one compound having the structure represented by formula I: R-O-(CH2CH2O)n-H... the defoaming agent comprises a polymer compound including one or more ethylene oxide groups... the one or more association disruption agent comprises an alcohol alkoxylate
Implementation Method 2
Rinse aids are conventionally used in warewashing applications to promote drying and to prevent the formation of spots on the ware being washed... the compositions effectively reduce spotting and filming on a variety of surfaces, including plasticware, and achieve faster drying and draining times
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention is directed to rinse aid compositions and methods for making and using the rinse aid compositions. The compositions of the invention include a sheeting agent, a defoaming agent, and an association disruption agent. The rinse aid compositions of the present invention result in a faster draining/drying time on most substrates compared to conventional rinse aids. The rinse aid compositions of the present invention are especially suitable for use on plastic substrates.