Why is carboxymethyl cellulose added when producing washing powder?

In the production process of washing powder, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is added to improve its decontamination performance and use effect. CMC is an important detergent aid, which mainly improves the washing quality of clothes by improving the performance of washing powder.

1. Prevent dirt from redeposition

The basic function of washing powder is to remove dirt from clothes. During the washing process, the dirt falls off the surface of the clothes and is suspended in the water, but if there is no good suspension ability, these dirt may reattach to the clothes, resulting in unclean washing. CMC has a strong adsorption capacity. It can effectively prevent the washed dirt from being redeposited on the clothes by forming a protective film on the fiber surface, especially when washing cotton and blended fabrics. Therefore, the addition of CMC can improve the overall cleaning ability of washing powder and keep the clothes clean after washing.

2. Enhance the stability of detergents

CMC is a water-soluble polymer compound with good thickening effect. In washing powder, CMC can enhance the stability of the detergent system and prevent the components from stratification or precipitation. This is particularly important during the storage of washing powder, because the uniformity of different components has a great impact on its washing effect. By increasing the viscosity, CMC can make the particle components in the washing powder more evenly distributed, ensuring that the expected effect can be achieved when used.

3. Improve the decontamination ability

Although the main decontamination component in washing powder is surfactant, the addition of CMC can play a synergistic role. It can further help surfactants to remove dirt from clothes more efficiently by changing chemical bonds and physical adsorption. In addition, CMC can prevent dirt particles from agglomerating into larger particles, thereby improving the washing effect. Especially for granular dirt, such as mud and dust, CMC can make it easier to be suspended and washed away with water.

4. Adaptability to different fiber materials

Clothes of different materials have different requirements for detergents. Natural fiber materials such as cotton, linen, silk, and wool are more susceptible to damage by chemicals during the washing process, causing the fibers to become rough or darker in color. CMC has good biocompatibility and forms a protective film on the surface of these natural fibers to prevent the fibers from being damaged by strong ingredients such as surfactants during the washing process. This protective effect can also keep the clothes soft and bright after multiple washings.

5. Environmental protection and biodegradability

Compared with some chemical additives, CMC is a compound derived from natural cellulose and has good biodegradability. This means that in the process of using laundry detergent, CMC will not cause additional pollution to the environment. It can be decomposed into carbon dioxide and water by microorganisms to avoid long-term pollution of soil and water. With the increasing environmental protection requirements today, the use of carboxymethyl cellulose in laundry detergent not only improves the washing effect, but also conforms to the concept of sustainable development.

6. Improve the use experience of laundry detergent

CMC can not only improve the decontamination ability of laundry detergent, but also improve the user experience. For example, the thickening effect of CMC makes it difficult for laundry detergent to be over-diluted, which can improve the utilization rate of detergent used each time and reduce waste. In addition, CMC has a certain softening effect, which can make the washed clothes softer, reduce static electricity, and make them more comfortable to wear.

7. Reduce the problem of excessive foam

During the washing process, excessive foam sometimes affects the normal operation of the washing machine and leads to incomplete cleaning. The addition of CMC helps to adjust the foaming ability of the washing powder, control the amount of foam, and make the washing process smoother. In addition, excessive foam will lead to increased water consumption during rinsing, while the right amount of foam can not only ensure a good cleaning effect, but also improve water efficiency, which meets the requirements of energy conservation and emission reduction.

8. Water hardness resistance

The hardness of water will affect the performance of detergents, especially under hard water conditions, the surfactants in the detergents are prone to failure and the washing effect is reduced. CMC can form chelates with calcium and magnesium ions in water, thereby reducing the negative impact of hard water on the washing effect. This allows the washing powder to maintain good decontamination ability under hard water conditions, broadening the scope of application of the product.

The addition of carboxymethyl cellulose in the production of washing powder plays multiple key roles. It can not only prevent dirt from redeposition, enhance the stability of detergents, and improve decontamination ability, but also protect clothing fibers and improve users’ washing experience. At the same time, CMC’s environmental protection and water hardness resistance also make it an ideal additive that meets the requirements of modern detergents. With the growing development of the washing industry today, the use of carboxymethyl cellulose has become an important means to improve the performance of washing powder and meet the diverse needs of consumers.


Post time: Oct-15-2024