Automatic / Machine Liquid

Ingredients

Raw Material	% w/w (as received)	Function	Notes
Deionised water	53.50	Solvent	To 100%
Fatty alcohol ethoxylate AE-9	12.00	Primary surfactant	Low foam; cloud point 72 °C
SLES 70%	8.00	Co-surfactant	Controlled foam contribution
AOS 38%	8.00	Co-surfactant	Hard-water tolerance
CAPB 30%	3.00	Co-surfactant	Mildness; limited foam boost
Sodium citrate	6.00	Builder	Sequestration; alkalinity
GLDA (tetrasodium, 38%)	2.00	Chelating agent	Hard-water performance
Propylene glycol (MPG)	4.00	Hydrotrope / stabilizer
Silicone antifoam emulsion (30%)	0.30	Antifoam	PDMS-based; high potency
Sodium chloride (NaCl)	1.50	Thickener
CMC (medium viscosity)	0.80	Thickener / anti-redeposition
Liquid protease (≥150 KNU/g)	0.80	Enzyme
Liquid α-amylase (≥80 KNU/g)	0.50	Enzyme
Optical brightener (CBS-X, 20% slurry)	0.30	Brightening
Fragrance	0.30	Aesthetic	Low-foam compatible
Colourant	0.01	Aesthetic
Preservative (MIT/BIT blend)	0.14	Preservation
Borax (decahydrate)	0.85	Protease stabilizer
CaCl₂·2H₂O	0.10	Calcium supplement
Citric acid (50% solution)	q.s.	pH adjustment	Target pH 8.0–8.5
Total	100.00

Addition Order & Process

Addition Order & Process: 1. Charge 65% of deionised water. Heat to 35 °C; agitate at 250 rpm. 2. Add AE-9 (pre-warmed to 30 °C if cloudy). Mix 10 minutes until clear. 3. Add SLES 70% and AOS 38%. Mix 15 minutes. 4. Add CAPB 30%. Mix 10 minutes. 5. Add sodium citrate (dissolved), GLDA, and propylene glycol. Mix 10 minutes. 6. Add borax and CaCl₂·2H₂O. Mix 10 minutes. 7. Add CMC (predispersed). Mix 15 minutes. 8. Add sodium chloride. Mix 15 minutes. Check viscosity (target: 500–800 cP). 9. Cool to 25 °C. Add silicone antifoam emulsion with slow mixing (150 rpm, 15 minutes). Do not subject to high shear — emulsion inversion may occur. 10. Add protease; mix 5 minutes, then α-amylase; mix 5 minutes. 11. Add remaining additives (brightener, fragrance, colourant, preservative). Mix 5 minutes each. 12. Adjust pH to 8.3 ± 0.3 with citric acid. 13. Deaerate under vacuum for 10 minutes.

Expected Parameters

Expected Parameters: pH 8.3 ± 0.3; viscosity 500–800 cP; Ross-Miles foam height ≤50 mm (0.1% solution, 40 °C); active matter 18.0–22.0% w/w. Shelf life: 18 months at 5–35 °C.

Formulation Notes

Front-loading and high-efficiency (HE) washing machines require controlled foam: excessive suds interfere with mechanical drum action, trigger machine safety interlocks, and extend rinse cycles.FC-6.2 is a low-foam formulation built on a nonionic surfactant base with antifoam integration and rapid dissolution kinetics.

Formulation Card FC-6.2: Automatic / Machine Liquid Laundry Detergent

The nonionic-to-anionic surfactant ratio in FC-6.2 is approximately 2.5:1 (active basis), the inverse of standard hand-wash formulations. AE-9 generates minimal foam (Ross-Miles 25 mm at 0.1%) while providing the primary degreasing function.The silicone antifoam at 0.3% (0.09% active PDMS) provides a secondary foam-suppression barrier; loading above 0.05% active risks visible spotting on dark fabrics if dispersion is inadequate.The slightly elevated pH (8.0–8.5 versus 7.5–8.0 for standard HDL) compensates for the lower alkalinity contribution from the nonionic-dominant surfactant system.