Rheological additives for more effective cleaning

Rheological additives for more effective cleaning

Thursday, 13 June, 2024

Continual improvement in the efficiency of cleaning products has led to the use of rheological additives in the detergent sector. These rheological additives allow for a deeper, longer-lasting clean.

Rheology, which is the study of the flow and viscosity of liquids, identifies three main types of flow: Newtonian, pseudoplastic and thixotropic. This classification is vital in order to understand how fluids behave under different shear conditions, impacting the selection of the appropriate rheological additive.

The choice of the best rheological additive depends on a number of parameters, such as the rheological effect sought, the shear range and the method of incorporating the additive. Moreover, formulation constraints like transparency and compatibility with other components – as well as relevant regulations to ensure the safety and quality of the end product – must be taken into consideration.

These rheological additives offer several applications in the detergent sector, such as more effectively keeping particles in suspension. In conventional detergents, particles tend to settle over time, which can lead to uneven product distribution and reduced effectiveness. However, the incorporation of suitable rheological additives means that these particles remain uniformly dispersed in the solution, ensuring consistent cleaning across the surface.

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Figure 1: Particle suspension with rheological additives.

Another feature of these additives is their ability to facilitate application on vertical surfaces. This is especially useful when cleaning walls, ovens, bathroom tiles or any other vertical surface. Rheological additives change the viscosity of the liquid, allowing it to adhere better to vertical surfaces without running off, ensuring uniform product distribution and an effective clean.

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Figure 2: Vertical cleaning.

They also add body to the detergent, improving its adhesiveness and prolonging its contact time with the surface to be cleaned.

In short, the incorporation of rheological additives into detergents not only benefits consumers by enhancing the effectiveness of cleaning products; it also has a positive environmental impact by reducing the amount of chemical waste released. BYK offers a wide range of rheological additives using different technologies to meet various formulation needs and to ensure it delivers effective, environmentally-friendly solutions.

Our represented company BYK has developed an extensive range of rheological additives using different technologies to help each formulator find the most appropriate solution. We offer hectorites, bentonites, amides, ureas, polyacrylates and polyurethanes, among others.

For further information and to find out which rheological additive may best meet your needs, please contact our team of technical sales advisors.

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