Sulfo-estolide Surfactants for Pourable Liquid Detergents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing light duty liquid detergents face challenges in maintaining high foaming and cleaning attributes while being environmentally friendly, as they often contain high levels of surfactants that result in gel-like formulations at room temperature, and there is a need for phosphate-free alternatives to reduce environmental impact.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating sulfo-estolide surfactants with specific formulations that reduce viscosity, allowing for liquid detergents to remain workable at room temperature and maintaining high foaming capabilities, while being derived from plant and animal sources, thus biodegradable and phosphate-free.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high levels of surfactants are used to optimize cleaning and foaming attributes, then cleaning performance and foaming are improved, but the formulation becomes gel-like and non-pourable at room temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical structure parameters of the surfactant by introducing ester linkages between fatty acid chains to form estolides. This structural modification reduces molecular packing efficiency and intermolecular forces, thereby decreasing viscosity and maintaining pourability even at high surfactant concentrations (20-40% or more) required for optimal cleaning and foaming performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite surfactant molecules by linking multiple fatty acid chains through ester bonds to form estolide structures. These composite molecules combine the surfactant properties of individual fatty acid chains while the ester linkages introduce flexibility and reduce aggregation, enabling high-concentration formulations to remain liquid and pourable at room temperature.
2Reliability
If traditional surfactants are used to achieve adequate foaming and cleaning, then cleaning performance is maintained, but environmental impact increases due to phosphate content and reduced biodegradability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs surfactants with inherently biodegradable ester linkages that can be readily broken down by microorganisms in the environment. These estolide surfactants are designed to degrade into simple, non-toxic fatty acids and alcohols, eliminating the persistent environmental impact associated with traditional synthetic surfactants while maintaining adequate cleaning and foaming performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters by eliminating phosphates and other environmentally harmful additives from the formulation. The estolide surfactant structure itself, with its natural fatty acid chains and ester bonds, provides the necessary surfactant functionality without requiring phosphate builders or other persistent chemicals, thereby reducing environmental harm while maintaining cleaning capability.
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 use of sulfo-estolide surfactants in light duty liquid detergent formulations decreases viscosity, enabling pourable liquid detergents with sustained foaming and optimized cleaning, while being environmentally friendly and biodegradable, addressing the limitations of traditional detergents.
Implementation Method 1
the addition of at least one sulfo-estolide surfactant, having the general Formula 1 as described herein, to LDL formulations, for example, decreases the viscosity of such a formulation into a workable liquid range at room temperature
Implementation Method 2
the ability to emulsify, suspend or penetrate greasy or oily soils and suspend or disperse particulates, in order to clean articles or surfaces
Implementation Method 3
provide sustained foaming in dilute wash solution in the presence of the soils being cleaned
Data Source
AI summary
Light duty liquid detergent formulations that contain sulfo-estolide surfactants, sulfo-estolide derivatives and salts of sulfo-estolides are disclosed. The compositions of the presently described technology are useful for soil removal applications including, but not limited to, washing dishes by hand.