Self-Adhesive Gel Cleaning Composition Thermal Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleaning compositions in gel form lack the ability to maintain shape and resist deformation at elevated temperatures, making them unsuitable for handling and storage, especially for applications requiring self-adhesion to hard surfaces like toilet bowls and urinals.
Innovation Solution
Aqueous gel cleaning compositions with a polyalkoxy nonionic surfactant, ethoxylated alcohol, and a co-hardening agent, such as mineral oil, which provide high hardness, self-adhesion, and resistance to heat-induced shape changes, allowing for easy handling and storage at elevated temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If water is used as a major component of the gel, then the gel provides favorable toxicity profile and low cost, but the gel cannot resist heat-induced shape changes at elevated temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines water with polyalkoxy nonionic surfactants and co-hardening agents to create a composite gel system. This composite structure allows the gel to maintain water's safety and cost benefits while gaining thermal stability and shape retention through the synergistic interaction of multiple components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adjusts the gel's composition parameters, specifically incorporating co-hardening agents and controlling the ratio of surfactant to water, to modify the gel's thermal response. This enables the gel to maintain its shape at elevated temperatures while still using water as a major component.
2Ease of operation
If the gel is made soft and readily flowable, then the gel can be easily dispensed from containers, but the gel cannot maintain its shape and resist deformation when handled by the user
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a gel with dynamic rheological properties that allow it to flow easily under low stress (during dispensing) but resist deformation under higher stress (during handling). The polyalkoxy nonionic surfactant and co-hardening agent combination provides this dynamic behavior, enabling the gel to adapt its consistency based on the applied force.
3Strength
If the gel is made rigid and hard, then the gel can resist deformation and maintain shape, but the gel becomes difficult to manufacture and handle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the gel's physical parameters by controlling the concentration of polyalkoxy nonionic surfactant (13-40 wt.%) and co-hardening agent (1-10 wt.%) to achieve a balance between rigidity and manufacturability. This parameter optimization allows the gel to be both structurally sound and easy to work with during manufacturing and application.
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 compositions maintain their shape and self-adhesive properties even at elevated temperatures, ensuring effective cleaning and durability, while being cost-effective and safe to handle, with a gel melt temperature range of 50-90°C and a hardness of at least 150g.
Implementation Method 1
aqueous gel cleaning compositions with a polyalkoxy nonionic surfactant, ethoxylated alcohol, and a co-hardening agent, such as mineral oil, which provide high hardness, self-adhesion, and resistance to heat-induced shape changes
Implementation Method 2
self-adhesive properties even at elevated temperatures
Implementation Method 3
resistance to heat-induced shape changes, allowing for easy handling and storage at elevated temperatures
Implementation Method 4
gel melt temperature range of 50-90°C
Data Source
AI summary
Cleaning compositions in the form of a self-adhesive aqueous gel are provided. The aqueous gel may be a rigid, "hard" aqueous gel that resists deformation of its shape. The gel composition may desirably have a hardness of at least 150 g and/or a gel melt temperature of at least 50 °C. The cleaning compositions may include a polyalkoxy nonionic surfactant, such as an alkoxylated alcohol and/or polymeric alkylene oxide block copolymer, a co-hardening agent, and water. Methods for treating a hard surface, such as a toilet bowl, using the cleaning compositions are also provided.