Medium Liquid

Ingredients

Raw Material	% w/w (as received)	Function	Notes
Deionised water	63.20	Solvent	To 100%
SLES 70%	12.00	Primary surfactant	8.4% active SLES
LABSA 96%	5.00	Primary surfactant	Neutralised in situ
Caustic soda (NaOH), 50%	1.30	Neutralising agent	For LABSA neutralisation
CAPB 30%	5.00	Co-surfactant	Viscosity + foam synergy
Fatty alcohol ethoxylate AE-7	3.00	Nonionic co-surfactant	Grease cutting; cloud point 58 °C
Sodium citrate	3.00	Builder/chelator	Liquid-compatible; biodegradable
Propylene glycol (MPG)	3.00	Enzyme stabilizer / hydrotrope	USP/EP grade
Sodium chloride (NaCl)	1.50	Thickener	Salt-curve adjustment
CMC (medium viscosity)	0.80	Thickener / anti-redeposition	DS 0.7–0.9
Liquid protease (≥150 KNU/g)	0.80	Enzyme	Protein stain removal
Liquid α-amylase (≥80 KNU/g)	0.50	Enzyme	Starch stain removal
Optical brightener (CBS-X, 20% slurry)	0.20	Brightening	0.04% active CBS-X
Fragrance	0.40	Aesthetic	Standard quality
Colourant (liquid dye)	0.01	Aesthetic
Preservative (MIT/BIT blend)	0.14	Preservation	14 ppm active
Citric acid (50% solution)	q.s.	pH adjustment	Target pH 7.5–8.0
Borax (sodium tetraborate decahydrate)	0.30	Protease stabilizer	Borate source for enzyme complex
CaCl₂·2H₂O	0.05	Calcium supplement	Enzyme structural stability
Total	100.00

Addition Order & Process

Addition Order & Process: 1. Charge 70% of deionised water into main vessel. Heat to 30 °C; agitate at 250 rpm. 2. Add caustic soda solution. Then add LABSA slowly; mix 15 minutes (neutralisation). 3. Add SLES 70%. Mix 10 minutes until dissolved. 4. Add CAPB 30%. Mix 10 minutes. Viscosity begins to increase. 5. Add AE-7 (pre-warmed to 30 °C if cloudy). Mix 10 minutes. 6. Add sodium citrate (dissolved in warm water). Mix 5 minutes. 7. Add propylene glycol, borax, and CaCl₂·2H₂O sequentially. Mix 10 minutes. 8. Add CMC (predispersed in 5× water at 30 °C). Mix 15 minutes. 9. Add sodium chloride in portions. Mix 15 minutes. Check viscosity (target: 500–1,500 cP). 10. Cool to 25 °C. Add protease; mix 5 minutes. Add α-amylase; mix 5 minutes. 11. Add optical brightener slurry, colourant, fragrance, preservative. Mix 5 minutes each. 12. Adjust pH to 7.8 ± 0.3 with citric acid. 13. Deaerate under vacuum if necessary.

Expected Parameters

Expected Parameters: pH 7.8 ± 0.3; viscosity 500–1,500 cP (Brookfield LV, spindle #3, 30 rpm); active matter 15.0–18.0% w/w; enzyme activity retention ≥85% after 8 weeks at 30 °C. Shelf life: 18 months at 5–35 °C.

Formulation Notes

The medium tier represents the market-volume leader in most regions: balanced performance at a mid-range price. FC-6.1-M introduces CAPB for viscosity synergy, fatty alcohol ethoxylate (AE-7) for grease cutting, CMC for anti-redeposition, and a protease-amylase enzyme pair for targeted stain removal. Active matter at 15–18% delivers measurable cleaning improvement over the economical tier across all soil types.

Formulation Card FC-6.1-M: Medium Liquid Laundry Detergent

The introduction of CAPB at 5% (1.5% active) produces a marked viscosity synergy with SLES: the SLES/CAPB ratio of approximately 5.6:1 (active basis) falls within the wormlike micelle formation zone documented in Chapter 2, Section 2.3.2, where zero-shear viscosity exceeds 100 Pa·s with modest salt addition.AE-7 at 3% provides the primary degreasing function; its cloud point of 58 °C (Chapter 2, Table 2.2) ensures solubility throughout the 30–60 °C wash range.The borate (0.3% borax) + propylene glycol (3%) + calcium (0.05% CaCl₂·2H₂O) triad provides baseline enzyme stabilization sufficient for 18-month shelf life under temperate distribution; Section 6.2.4 and Table 6.3 provide the complete stabilization protocol.