Stability and viscosity in high active high caustic laundry emulsion with low HLB surfactant
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid detergent compositions face challenges in maintaining stability and viscosity under high alkaline conditions, leading to phase separation or viscosity changes, which affect their performance and are often costly to produce.
Innovation Solution
A liquid detergent composition comprising an alkalinity source, rheology modifier, sequestering agent, and nonionic surfactants, including specific alkylpolysaccharides and acrylic copolymers, which stabilizes the emulsion and maintains viscosity without requiring a pre-mix process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high levels of alkalinity source are used to achieve effective soil removal, then cleaning performance is improved, but emulsion stability deteriorates causing phase separation or viscosity collapse
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a stabilizing system comprising polyacrylic acid and polymethacrylic acid as intermediary substances that mediate between the high alkalinity source and the emulsion components. These polymers act as buffers and stabilizers that prevent direct destabilizing interactions between high pH conditions and the emulsion structure, allowing high cleaning performance to be maintained without sacrificing emulsion stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite stabilizing system combining multiple polymer types (polyacrylic acid and polymethacrylic acid) with specific molecular weights and acid values. This composite approach creates a synergistic effect where the different polymer components work together to provide both viscosity control and emulsion stability under high alkaline conditions, resolving the contradiction between cleaning effectiveness and formulation stability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If polyacrylic acid or polymethacrylic acid stabilizers are used to maintain emulsion stability and viscosity, then emulsion stability is improved, but production cost increases due to expensive pre-mix process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies precise parameter ranges for the stabilizing polymers including molecular weight (1,000 to 90,000), acid value (20 to 80), and composition ratios. By optimizing these parameters, the invention achieves effective stabilization with reduced polymer quantities compared to conventional formulations, thereby lowering material costs and simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining emulsion stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive, complex pre-mix stabilization systems with more economical polymer additives that can be directly incorporated into the formulation. The use of polyacrylic acid and polymethacrylic acid with defined specifications provides cost-effective stabilization without requiring expensive pre-mixing equipment or complex multi-step manufacturing processes, reducing both material and operational costs.
3Stability of the object's composition
If conventional stabilizing systems are used to maintain viscosity, then viscosity stability is improved, but the product becomes too thick to pour or so thin as to appear watery during storage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs polymers with specific rheological properties that provide dynamic viscosity control. The polyacrylic acid and polymethacrylic acid components create a rheology modifier system that adapts to storage and usage conditions, maintaining optimal viscosity for pourability during normal handling while preventing excessive thickening or thinning during storage. This dynamic response ensures the product remains pumpable and pourable throughout its shelf life.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention carefully controls polymer concentration, molecular weight distribution, and acid value parameters to achieve the target viscosity range. By adjusting these parameters within specified ranges, the formulation maintains viscosity between 500-5000 cP at 25°C, ensuring optimal pourability and dispensability while preventing the product from becoming too thick or too thin during storage, thus resolving the contradiction between viscosity stability and operational ease.
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 stable emulsions with ideal viscosity, maintaining stability for at least a year and providing effective cleaning performance under high pH conditions, while being cost-effective to produce.
Implementation Method 1
one or more nonionic surfactants, including a low HLB surfactant
Implementation Method 2
The liquid detergent compositions are water-in-oil emulsions or oil-in-water emulsions
Implementation Method 3
a rheology modifier; one or more sequestering agents
Data Source
AI summary
High active, high caustic liquid laundry detergent compositions which provide excellent stability are disclosed, including methods of making and using the same. The compositions generally comprise a source of alkalinity, a rheology modifier, one or more sequestering agents, one or more low mole ethoxylated nonionic surfactants, and an alkylpolysaccharide surfactant. The liquid detergent emulsions, provided as a concentrate, water-in-oil use solution emulsion, or oil-in-water use solution emulsion beneficially demonstrate improved stability even under high pH and high temperature conditions.