Structured Detergent Suspension Control via Smectite Clay Yield Stress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current structured liquid laundry detergents face challenges in suspending active ingredients efficiently due to high shear requirements, air entrapment, separation, and instability, which affects optical brightening and whitening maintenance without compromising stain removal performance.
Innovation Solution
A structured detergent composition incorporating smectite clay, with a method involving the combination of water and smectite clay, applying shear, and adding acidic surfactants, acids, bases, and buffers to create a stable non-Newtonian fluid with enhanced suspension control and optical brightening capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If high shear mixing is used to create suspension network, then suspension control is improved, but air entrapment occurs leading to separation and settling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies shear thinning parameters to the detergent composition, transforming it into a non-Newtonian fluid that changes viscosity under shear stress. This allows the composition to be pumped and applied easily (low viscosity under shear) while maintaining suspension stability at rest (high viscosity), eliminating air entrapment and separation issues associated with constant high viscosity systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structured detergent composition combining multiple ingredients including anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, and other detergent components in specific ratios. This composite structure provides both the suspension control needed to prevent separation and the flow properties needed to avoid air entrapment during application
2Stability of the object's composition
If high shear mixing is applied to create desired suspension network, then suspension control is improved, but capital investment and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent formulates the detergent composition to inherently exhibit shear thinning behavior, eliminating the need for complex high shear mixing equipment. The composition achieves suspension control through its non-Newtonian fluid properties rather than through complex mechanical processing, simplifying both manufacturing and application processes
3Illumination intensity
If suspended compounds are added to detergent composition, then optical brightening is improved, but gravitational separation occurs leading to creaming and sedimentation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the detergent composition into a shear thinning non-Newtonian fluid with yield stress properties. This creates a stable suspension network that prevents gravitational separation of optical brightening agents and other suspended compounds, eliminating creaming and sedimentation while maintaining optical brightening performance
Solution Approach 2:
The structured detergent composition acts as an intermediary medium that stabilizes suspended optical brightening agents. The non-Newtonian fluid structure with yield stress provides a protective matrix that prevents direct gravitational separation of the suspended compounds, keeping them uniformly distributed throughout the composition
4Stability of the object's composition
If yield stress point is achieved for suspension control, then active ingredient suspension is improved, but wash performance may be hampered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a dynamic structured detergent composition with yield stress properties that adapts to different conditions. The composition maintains suspension stability at rest (high viscosity with yield stress) but becomes pumpable and applicable under shear stress (low viscosity). This dynamic behavior ensures both suspension control and effective wash performance without compromise
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 superior suspension control, optical brightening, and whitening maintenance without negative impacts on stain removal, maintaining stability and uniformity across the detergent composition.
Implementation Method 1
the smectite clay hydrates and forms a strong colloidal structure thereby providing a desired viscosity and yield stress point
Implementation Method 2
the smectite clay hydrates and forms a strong colloidal structure thereby providing a desired viscosity and yield stress point
Implementation Method 3
the smectite clay surprisingly provides enhanced suspension control, e.g. to suspend an active agent
Implementation Method 4
The smectite clay also surprisingly provides enhanced optical brightening of the textile
Implementation Method 5
the smectite clay surprisingly provides enhanced whitening maintenance of the textile, also referred to as anti-redeposition
Implementation Method 6
the structured detergent composition typically shows a trend of changing behavior from Newtonian to non-Newtonian which is beneficial for structuring and for optional suspension of the active agents
Data Source
AI summary
A structured detergent composition has a yield stress point and includes a surfactant component present in an amount of from about 5 to about 50 weight percent actives, water present in a total amount of from about 40 to about 90 weight percent, and a smectite clay present in an amount of from about 0.2 to about 3 weight percent actives, each based on a total weight of the composition. The composition is formed by combining water and a smectite clay to form a mixture, applying shear to the mixture, combining the sheared mixture with an acidic surfactant, adding an acid to the combination of the sheared mixture and the acidic surfactant, then adding a base and a buffer. The method also includes the step of adding additional surfactants, wherein the combination of the acidic surfactant and the additional surfactants make up the surfactant component.