Surface Treatment Composition Stabilized Against Coacervate Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surface treatment compositions with cationic polymers and anionic surfactants often experience phase separation and product thickening, limiting the use of higher polymer levels that provide enhanced benefits to surfaces like fabrics and hair, due to the formation of coacervates during storage.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating shielding salts and Hydrophobic Association Disruptors into the composition, along with cationic polymers lacking hydrophilic co-monomers, to prevent coacervate formation during storage while allowing coacervate formation upon dilution, thereby maintaining product stability and benefits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If higher levels of cationic polymer are formulated into the composition, then surface treatment benefits are enhanced, but phase separation and product thickening occur during storage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces shielding salts (e.g., sodium chloride, potassium chloride) and hydrophobic association disruptors (e.g., ethanol, isopropanol) as intermediary substances that mediate between the cationic polymer and anionic surfactant. These intermediaries prevent direct coacervate formation by shielding electrostatic interactions and disrupting hydrophobic associations, thereby enabling higher polymer concentrations to remain stable during storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the ionic strength and hydrophobicity parameters of the composition by adding shielding salts and hydrophobic association disruptors. This parameter modification alters the interaction dynamics between polymer and surfactant, preventing phase separation while maintaining the ability to form coacervates upon dilution during use.
2Reliability
If higher levels of cationic polymer are used, then fabric softening and hair conditioning benefits are improved, but the product becomes thick and difficult to dispense
Solution Approach 1:
Hydrophobic association disruptors such as short-chain alcohols act as intermediaries that prevent excessive coacervate formation in the concentrated product, maintaining pourability and ease of dispensing while preserving the high polymer content necessary for effective surface treatment benefits.
3Stability of the object's composition
If shielding salts are added to prevent coacervate formation during storage, then product stability is improved, but the composition requires additional ingredients increasing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding salts serve multiple functions: they shield electrostatic interactions to prevent coacervate formation, maintain product stability during storage, and do not interfere with coacervate formation upon dilution during use. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional stabilizing ingredients, thereby limiting formulation complexity despite the added functionality.
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
Enables the use of higher levels of cationic polymers and anionic surfactants without phase separation, ensuring a stable product that delivers enhanced surface treatment benefits upon use, such as fabric softening and hair conditioning.
Implementation Method 1
shielding salt, anionic surfactant, and cationic polymers that do not contain hydrophilic co-monomers, wherein the shielding salt prevents coacervate formation
Implementation Method 2
Hydrophobic Association Disruptor and optionally other selected ingredients wherein the shielding salt and the Hydrophobic Association Disruptor prevent the phase separation
Data Source
AI summary
Surface treatment compositions comprising certain cationic polymer(s), anionic surfactant, one or more shielding salts and hydrophobic association disruptor. The surface treatment compositions comprise at least about 6 % by weight of cationic polymer, at least about 6% by weight anionic surfactant, and at least about 4 % by weight of the shielding salt. The weight ratio of anionic surfactant to cationic polymer is between about 0.5:1 and about 4:1. The composition may also have a weight ratio of shielding salt to cationic polymer of between about 0.3:1 and about 3:1.