Technical Discovery and Evaluation of a Soy Protein-Based Fabric Brightener for use in Laundry Detergents

Project Manager: Dr. Bernie Tao

Soy protein can be used to create a novel detergent component that improves the effectiveness of laundry washing by preventing re-deposition of soil on clothing.  This soy protein-based detergent component has soil anti-redeposition properties that significantly improves washed fabric brightness and appearance, and may also improve the durability of clothing to washing.  The anti-redeposition agent is a modified soy protein material which has been modified with an ionic monomer.  It has the potential to be more effective than currently used agents, less expensive to produce, to improve clothing durability, and is environmentally benign.

The use of a soil anti-redeposition agent generally improves the whiteness of fabrics washed with the detergent or the brightness of the color, since the anti-redeposition agent suspends the soil in the solution once it has been removed from the fabric and prevents its redeposition onto the washed fabric. Without such agents, soil from the wash water will re-deposit onto the washed fabric, resulting in a gray or dull appearance. The soy-protein anti-redeposition materials are effective in both liquid and powdered detergents and in detergents used in cool and hot water, and have been shown to be compatible with a variety of conventional washing detergent materials, including surfactants, builders and additives.  This is a distinct advantage vs. existing components that perform similar anti-soil re-deposition functions.
 
Our modified soy protein material incorporates a cationic monomer, which allows it to effectively bind onto the fabric fibers.  This binding results in the observed anti-redeposition properties. An added benefit of the use of this agent is that it also appears to ‘pack down’ the small cloth fibrils that are created by the mechanical agitation in washing.  This coating phenomena appears to reduce lint formation, resulting in longer clothing life and less lint formed during drying.

This agent improves anti-soil deposition on cotton fabrics by approximately 150%, as measured by objective light measurements of fabric brightness.  The estimated cost of this product is in the $1-$5 range, which is equivalent or lower than current competing products.  Prospective eventual customers for this technology are all consumer and industrial laundry users.  The immediate customer would be manufacturers of the brightening agent and then formulators of liquid and powdered detergents.  The use of the biomaterial to replace petrochemical components has potential to create value because it is lower cost, has greater effectiveness, and has environmental disposal advantages.  The estimated market for this product is estimated to be $30-$50 million per year.  The process and composition of this agent have been patented (owned by Purdue) and we are currently confirming additional performance characteristics of this class of materials, as well as seeking commercial partners.  The AICC will play a critical role in taking this value-added idea to a value-added business.

Assessment of the commercial potential and development of a business plan to bring this product to market has the potential to create significant value for soybean producers.  An important component of the assessment activity for this project will be the identification of and discussions with producers or producer groups who would form the entity or organization to commercialize this new product.