Surfactant Composition High Concentration Fluidity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing detergent compositions struggle to maintain solubility and fluidity at high surfactant concentrations, often requiring large amounts of organic solvents, which are environmentally unsustainable.
Innovation Solution
A surfactant composition comprising specific ratios of internal olefin sulfonic acid, other anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, and water, which allows for uniform dissolution and fluidity over a wide concentration range with reduced organic solvent use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a high concentration of surfactant is used to create concentrated liquid detergent, then the detergent becomes more compact and reduces container size, but the composition loses solubility and fluidity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the carbon atom numbers and molar ratios of specific surfactant components (internal olefin sulfonate with 12-24 carbon atoms, alcohol sulfonate with 10-22 carbon atoms, and nonionic surfactant with 10-22 carbon atoms). By adjusting these molecular parameters and their proportions, the composition maintains solubility and fluidity even at high surfactant concentrations (50-95 mass%).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite material approach by combining three specific types of surfactants in defined molar ratios (internal olefin sulfonate: 30-80 mol%, alcohol sulfonate: 10-50 mol%, nonionic surfactant: 5-30 mol%). This composite formulation creates synergistic effects that maintain both high concentration stability and fluidity, resolving the contradiction between concentration and solubility.
2Ease of operation
If organic solvents are added to maintain fluidity at high surfactant concentrations, then the composition remains pourable, but environmental sustainability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates organic solvents from the detergent composition entirely. Instead of using organic solvents to maintain fluidity, the invention relies on the carefully selected combination of aqueous-soluble surfactants that naturally provide the required fluidity and pourability without any organic solvent additives, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and environmental sustainability.
3Volume of moving object
If surfactant concentration is increased to reduce container size and transportation cost, then product compactness improves, but precipitates and gelling occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the molecular parameters of the surfactants, specifically using internal olefin sulfonate with 12-24 carbon atoms, alcohol sulfonate with 10-22 carbon atoms, and nonionic surfactant with 10-22 carbon atoms. These parameter constraints prevent excessive hydrophobic interactions that would cause gelling and precipitates, allowing high concentration (50-95 mass%) without stability loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite material strategy by formulating a tri-component surfactant system with specific molar ratios. The combination of ionic surfactants (internal olefin sulfonate and alcohol sulfonate) with nonionic surfactant creates a balanced system that prevents phase separation, gelling, and precipitate formation even at high concentrations, enabling compact packaging without stability 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 fine foaming and sustained foam stability even at high surfactant concentrations or upon dilution, while significantly reducing the need for organic solvents, thus enhancing environmental sustainability and cleaning efficacy.
Implementation Method 1
A surfactant composition comprising component A, component B, component C and component D wherein a total content of the component A, the component B and the component C is 45% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less
Implementation Method 2
fine foams are obtained even when the composition contains the surfactant at a high concentration or even when the composition is diluted
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a surfactant composition which includes a surfactant at a high concentration, while having fluidity over a wide concentration range. A surfactant composition according to the present invention contains the components A, B, C and D described below, and is configured such that: the total content of the components A, B and C is from 30% by mass to 80% by mass (inclusive); the mass ratio of the total content of the components A and B to the content of the component C, namely (A + B) /C is from 20/80 to 80/20; and the mass ratio of the content of the component A to the content of the component B, namely A/B is from 98/2 to 45/55. A: an internal olefin sulfonic acid and/or a salt thereof; B: an anionic surfactant other than the component A; C: a nonionic surfactant; D: water