Nabion®: the sustainable all-in-one ingredient for your powder formulations
Nabion® is an all-in-one sustainable building agent in the form of a mineral powder that is completely soluble in water. It comes in the form of white granules based on sodium carbonate and sodium silicate. Designed for powder formulations of laundry detergents and automatic dishwasher detergents, the Nabion® range includes two variants: Nabion® 15 and Nabion® 26.
More than just a supplier, Humens actively supports the integration of Nabion® into our customers' formulations, offering both formulation consulting and performance evaluation services.
In this article, our Product Development teams present the Nabion® efficacy tests conducted on textile and dishwasher applications.
To accurately assess the impact of incorporating Nabion® into different formulations, the tests were carried out using our dedicated equipment: a tergotometer for laundry tests and automatic dishwashers for dishwashing tests.
Nabion®: Efficiency tests for Fabric and Dish Care Applications
1. Laundry care performance - Tergotometer
Consisting of 8 miniature washing stations in a single benchtop instrument, the tergotometer offers rapid and reliable testing for formulation and comparative performance testing applications.
Our tergotometer-based methodology enables a detailed and reproducible analysis of detergent performance on textile substrates. Standardized cotton fabrics are used under precisely controlled conditions, including temperature, cycle duration, water hardness, and detergent dosage, to ensure consistency and comparability across tests.
Tergotometer
a. Efficiency tests
- Mineral Incrustation
We quantify mineral incrustation on cotton fabrics after 5 washing cycles. After incineration of the fabric samples, ash residues are weighed to determine the incrustation rate, critical in hard water areas and for long-term textile maintenance.
- Detergency Power
Using standard soiled fabrics, we assess cleaning efficiency through spectrophotometric analysis of ΔE (color difference) before and after washing.
- Color Fading
Over 20 washing cycles, we evaluate the impact of detergents on dyed fabrics, measuring potential color loss or alteration via ΔE values.
- Whiteness Loss
Using white cotton samples, we determine whitening stability over 6 cycles. ΔE measurement quantifies any yellowing or greying of fabrics.
b. What about Nabion® ?
We have compared the stain removal power of two formulas: STPP-based and Nabion-based. The stain removal power is almost identical between a STPP-based formula and a Nabion-based formula. STPP or other builder can be totally or partially replaced by Nabion®, by adjusting the other components to balance the formula while reducing the formula cost.
2. Dish care performance – Autodishwasher
Ours MIELE G-1344 laboratory dishwashers allow precise evaluation of detergent performance under standardized dishwashing conditions.
a. Efficiency tests
- Spotting, Filming, and Glass Corrosion
We evaluate visual residues due to lime scale after 10 washing cycles on glasses and monitor glass corrosion through mass loss and visual degradation on glass plates.
- Detergency Power
Using standard soils, we assess cleaning performance by measuring the ΔE values pre- and post-wash on standardized test plates.
Black box
b. What about Nabion® ?
We have compared several builders versus Nabion and we can confirm that there is a real synergy when it is combined with MGDA or citrate. In addition to reducing the overall formulation cost, it enhances performance in terms of spotting and filming thanks to its ability to capture calcium and magnesium ions and its anti-redeposition effect.
Nabion®: performance and sustainability combined
Tests have shown that Nabion® combines effectiveness, sustainability, and formulation flexibility, offering real opportunities for substitution in laundry and dishwasher detergents. Our laboratory provides reliable, reproducible, and relevant performance data for applications to support product development, quality control, or comparative studies.
At Humens, we put our technical expertise and testing capabilities at the service of our customers to help them design more sustainable and effective solutions.
Our teams are at your disposal for any testing, optimization, or R&D collaboration projects.
Visit us at SEPAWA Berlin, 15 - 17 October 2025 (Booth E720)
Our teams will be available at these trade shows to discuss your projects and share our expertise.
Jean-Christophe Prat - Quality Control Laboratory & Technical Support
Maëlle Toublanc - Market Manager
