Sustained-release functional material and use thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a sustained-release functional material and application thereof. The sustained-release functional material comprises an insoluble substrate and a functional substance, wherein a minimum processing temperature of the insoluble substrate is lower than a maximum failure temperature of the functional substance. In the sustained-release functional material provided by the present disclosure, by defining a matching relationship between the processing temperatures of the insoluble substrate and the functional substance, it can ensure the preparation of the sustained-release functional material, while it can prevent the functional substance from losing efficacy, thus achieving excellent application performance.

Description

[0001] The present disclosure claims the priority of the Chinese patent application with No. 202310788825.3, titled "A Sustained-Release Functional Material and Application Thereof", which was submitted to the China National Intellectual Property Administration on June 28, 2023, the priority of the Chinese patent application with No. 202310781013.6, titled "A Sustained-Release Carrier Material and Application Thereof", which was submitted to the China National Intellectual Property Administration on June 28, 2023, and the priority of the Chinese patent application No. 202310783918.7, titled "A Sustained-Release Carrier Material and Application Thereof", which was submitted to the China National Intellectual Property Administration on June 28, 2023. which are incorporated by reference in its entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the field of sustained-release technology, in particular to a sustained-release functional material and application thereof.BACKGROUND

[0003] At present, the main ways to achieve multiple functions such as deodorization, descaling, and sterilization are realized by adding functional substances in the working environment, such as aromatherapy substances for deodorization, salts for descaling, silver phosphate, copper, zinc, guanidine substances for sterilization, and natural substances for health care. In order to facilitate use and maintain the long-term effectiveness of functional substances, the common practice is to load functional substances in carriers, such as loading silver phosphate in glass, loading natural antibacterial agents and guanidine substances in plastic matrices, and loading descaling salts in activated carbon. The above ways can ensure that the effect of functional substances maintains for a certain period of time to a certain extent. However, most of the above functional substances are inorganic substances or small molecules, which are basically randomly dispersed in the matrix, making it difficult to form a stable release pathway. Therefore, theoretically, only the functional substances dispersed on the surface can be released, while the functional substances inside the matrix are difficult to be released, so the effect of functional substances cannot be fully exerted. Alternatively, similar to the functional components loaded in activated carbon, although the functional substances inside the matrix can exert a certain effect, stable and long-lasting performance cannot be achieved.

[0004] Therefore, in order to ensure the long-term sustained release of functional components such as deodorization, descaling or sterilization, it is necessary to screen materials for sustained-release carrier structures that can cooperate with each other and finally form a sustained-release effect to meet application requirements.SUMMARY

[0005] To solve the above technical problems, the present disclosure provides a sustained-release functional material and application thereof.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a sustained-release functional material, which comprises an insoluble substrate and a functional substance, wherein the minimum processing temperature of the insoluble substrate is lower than the maximum failure temperature of the functional substance.

[0007] As a preferred technical solution of the present disclosure, the sustained-release functional material further comprises a water-soluble substrate; the functional substance is loaded on the water-soluble substrate, and the minimum processing temperature of the water-soluble substrate is lower than the maximum failure temperature of the functional substance.

[0008] As a preferred technical solution of the present disclosure, the functional substance is an inorganic functional substance, and the failure temperature is the decomposition temperature of the inorganic functional substance.

[0009] As a preferred technical solution of the present disclosure, the functional substance is an organic compound-based functional substance, and the failure temperature is the decomposition temperature or inactivation temperature of the organic compound-based functional substance.

[0010] As a preferred technical solution of the present disclosure, the insoluble substrate is a water-insoluble polymer, and the minimum processing temperature of the insoluble substrate is the glass transition temperature of the water-insoluble polymer.

[0011] As a preferred technical solution of the present disclosure, the water-soluble substrate is a water-soluble polymer, and the processing temperature of the water-soluble substrate is the glass transition temperature of the water-soluble polymer.

[0012] As a preferred technical solution of the present disclosure, a preparation method of the sustained-release functional material comprises: loading the functional substance onto the water-soluble substrate, and then obtaining the sustained-release functional material by blending the water-soluble substrate with the insoluble substrate at a processing temperature, wherein the minimum processing temperature of the water-soluble substrate and the insoluble substrate is less than or equal to the processing temperature, and the processing temperature is less than or equal to the maximum failure temperature of the functional substance; preferably, the processing temperature is an intermediate temperature between the minimum processing temperature and the maximum failure temperature.

[0013] As a preferred technical solution of the present disclosure, the water-soluble substrate and the functional substance loaded on the water-soluble substrate form a water-soluble phase in the sustained-release carrier structure, and the water-soluble phase is a continuous phase.

[0014] As a preferred technical solution of the present disclosure, the insoluble substrate forms a water-insoluble phase in the sustained-release carrier structure, and the water-insoluble phase is a continuous phase.

[0015] As a preferred technical solution of the present disclosure, the length of the short side of the phase domain of the water-soluble phase is 100 nm to 10 µ m, and the length of the short side of the phase domain of the water-insoluble phase is 100 nm to 10 µ m.

[0016] As a preferred technical solution of the present disclosure, the functional substance is selected from any one or a combination of at least two of aromatherapy materials, detergents, scale inhibitors, bactericides, bacteriostats, water treatment materials, laundry treatment agents, color fixing agents, biofilm removers, and colorants.

[0017] In a second aspect, the present disclosure provides an application of the sustained-release functional material according to the first aspect in washing apparatus.

[0018] As a preferred technical solution of the present disclosure, the sustained-release functional material is used in the aromatherapy module, washing module, antiscale module, sterilization module, bacteriostasis module, water treatment module, laundry treatment module, color fixing module, or dyeing module of the washing apparatus.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure have the following advantages: (1) In the sustained-release functional material provided by the present disclosure, by defining the matching of the processing temperatures of the insoluble substrate and the functional substance, it can ensure the preparation of the sustained-release functional material, while prevent the functional substance from failing, thus achieving superior application effects. (2) In the present disclosure, by defining the processing temperature of the sustained-release functional material, the water-soluble substrate and the insoluble substrate in the finally obtained sustained-release functional material can form a more optimized co-continuous phase structure, thereby ensuring that the functional substance can be released as completely as possible to achieve better application effects. (3) Meanwhile, in the present disclosure, by defining the processing temperature of the sustained-release functional material, the morphology and performance of the finally obtained sustained-release functional material can be optimized.

[0020] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary and explanatory, and shall not limit the present disclosure.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of the sustained-release carrier structure provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is an SEM image of the water-insoluble phase in the sustained-release carrier structure provided in Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a sustained-release functional material, which comprises an insoluble substrate and a functional substance, wherein a minimum processing temperature of the insoluble substrate is lower than a maximum failure temperature of the functional substance.

[0023] In the sustained-release functional material provided by the present disclosure, by defining a matching relationship between the processing temperature of the insoluble substrate and a failure temperature of the functional substance, the preparation of the sustained-release functional material can be ensured, while the functional substance can be prevented from losing efficacy, thus achieving excellent application performance.

[0024] It should be noted that the processing temperature of the insoluble substrate and the failure temperature of the functional substance are both inherent physical properties of the insoluble substrate material and the functional substance material themselves. For different substrate materials and functional substance materials, the processing temperatures and the failure temperatures are parameters that can be determined by those skilled in the art through public data inquiry and / or experimental means after knowing the material compositions, and the present disclosure does not specifically limit the specific acquisition methods. In addition, both the processing temperature and the failure temperature can be a temperature range or a specific value; the endpoints of the temperature range or appropriate values within the temperature range can all be defined as parameters such as the minimum processing temperature and the maximum failure temperature, which are not specifically limited by the present disclosure.

[0025] Preferably, the sustained-release functional material further comprises a water-soluble substrate; the functional substance is loaded onto the water-soluble substrate, and a minimum processing temperature of the water-soluble substrate is lower than a maximum failure temperature of the functional substance.

[0026] When the functional substance is loaded onto the water-soluble substrate, during the application process, as the sustained-release functional material is immersed in water, the functional substance will be slowly dissolved out along with dissolution of the water-soluble substrate, thereby achieving the sustained release of the functional substance.

[0027] Preferably, the functional substance is an inorganic functional substance, and the failure temperature refers to a decomposition temperature of the inorganic functional substance.

[0028] Preferably, the functional substance is an organic compound-based functional substance, and the failure temperature refers to a decomposition temperature or an inactivation temperature of the organic compound-based functional substance.

[0029] Preferably, the present disclosure enumerates partial functional components and the failure temperatures as follows: Sodium percarbonate has a stain-removing effect and can be used as the sustained-release functional material to assist washing process of washing machines. The decomposition temperature of sodium percarbonate is 120 °C; thus, the minimum processing temperatures (glass transition temperature or hot melting temperature) of both the insoluble substrate and the water-soluble substrate should be lower than 120 °C. Bioenzymes can be used to remove special biological stains such as milk stains and blood stains, however, bioenzymes will be inactivated at temperatures above 60 °C. If a thermal processing is adopted, the minimum processing temperatures of the insoluble substrate and the water-soluble substrate shall not exceed 60 °C. Fragrances: daily chemical fragrances are usually small-molecule esters and ketones. During high-temperature processing, some components will volatilize or react, resulting in changes in fragrance. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the range of the matrix according to the components of the fragrance.

[0030] The sustained-release functional material provided by the present disclosure is preferably prepared by means of thermal processing. Therefore, to avoid the inactivation of functional components, the screening of materials in the present disclosure shall not only meet the requirement for forming a co-continuous phase between the two materials, but also ensure that the thermal processing temperature of the two materials is below the failure temperature of the functional components.

[0031] Preferably, the insoluble substrate is a water-insoluble polymer, and the minimum processing temperature of the insoluble substrate is the glass transition temperature of the water-insoluble polymer.

[0032] Preferably, the water-soluble substrate is a water-soluble polymer, and the processing temperature of the water-soluble substrate is the glass transition temperature of the water-soluble polymer.

[0033] Preferably, the water-soluble polymer is selected from one or more of polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, polyethylene oxide, polyacrylamide and polyvinylpyrrolidone.

[0034] Preferably, the water-insoluble polymer is selected from one or more of polyolefin, polyester and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.

[0035] Based on the exemplary functional substances, the listed water-soluble polymers and water-insoluble polymers described above, exemplary combinations that can be screened by a screening method provided by the present disclosure may be listed as follows: polyolefin elastomer: 30-70 parts, for example, 35 parts, 40 parts, 45 parts, 50 parts, 55 parts, 60 parts, 65 parts, etc.; polyethylene oxide: 15-60 parts, for example, 20 parts, 25 parts, 30 parts, 35 parts, 40 parts, 45 parts, 50 parts, 55 parts, etc.; sodium percarbonate: 15-35 parts, for example, 20 parts, 25 parts, 30 parts, etc.. A twin-screw extruder or an internal mixer is used to mix the functional substances with the matrix materials, with the processing temperature within the range of 90-110°C, for example, 95 °C, 100 °C, 105 °C, etc..

[0036] Polycaprolactone: 30-70 parts, for example, 35 parts, 40 parts, 45 parts, 50 parts, 55 parts, 60 parts, 65 parts, etc.; polyethylene oxide: 15-60 parts, for example, 20 parts, 25 parts, 30 parts, 35 parts, 40 parts, 45 parts, 50 parts, 55 parts, etc.; and bioenzymes: 15-35 parts, for example, 20 parts, 25 parts, 30 parts, etc.. A twin-screw extruder or internal mixer is used to mix the functional substances with the matrix materials, with the processing temperature within the range of 50-60 °C, for example, 52 °C, 55 °C, 58 °C, etc.. polycaprolactone: 30-70 parts, for example, 35 parts, 40 parts, 45 parts, 50 parts, 55 parts, 60 parts, 65 parts, etc.; polyethylene oxide: 15-60 parts, for example, 20 parts, 25 parts, 30 parts, 35 parts, 40 parts, 45 parts, 50 parts, 55 parts, etc., and fragrance (dihydromyrcenol, cedarwood oil, citronellol, α - Ionone, eburnane alcohol, phytoncide, β -Ionone, methyl dihydrojasmonate, galaxolide, lilial, α -Hexylcinnamaldehyde, etc.): 15-35 parts, for example, 20 parts, 25 parts, 30 parts, etc.. A twin-screw extruder or internal mixer is used to mix the functional substances with the matrix materials, with the processing temperature within the range of 50-60 °C (e.g., 52 °C, 55 °C, 58 °C, etc.). polyethylene: 30-70 parts, for example, 35 parts, 40 parts, 45 parts, 50 parts, 55 parts, 60 parts, 65 parts, etc.; polyethylene oxide: 15-60 parts, for example, 20 parts, 25 parts, 30 parts, 35 parts, 40 parts, 45 parts, 50 parts, 55 parts, etc.; and microencapsulated fragrance: 15-35 parts, for example, 20 parts, 25 parts, 30 parts, etc.. A twin-screw extruder or internal mixer is adopted to mix the functional substances with the matrix materials, with the processing temperature controlled within the range of 120-160 °C (e.g., 125 °C, 130 °C, 135 °C, 140 °C, 145 °C, 150 °C, 155 °C, etc.).

[0037] Preferably, the molecular weight of the water-soluble polymer is in the range of 100 to 1,000,000; for example, it may be 100, 300, 500, 800, 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 5,000, 6,000, 8,000, 10,000, 20,000, 30,000, 50,000, 80,000, 100,000, 120,000, 150,000, 180,000, 200,000, 220,000, 250,000, 280,000, 300,000, 320,000, 350,000, 380,000, 400,000, 420,000, 450,000, 480,000, 500,000, 550,000, 600,000, 650,000, 700,000, 750,000, 800,000, 850,000, 900,000 or 1,000,000, etc.

[0038] Preferably, the molecular weight of the polyvinyl alcohol ranges from 800 to 5,000; for example, it may be 800, 900, 1,000, 1,200, 1,500, 1,800, 2,000, 2,200, 2,500, 2,800, 3,000, 3,200, 3,500, 3,800, 4,000, 4,200, 4,500, 4,800 or 5,000, etc.

[0039] Preferably, the molecular weight of the polyethylene glycol ranges from 100 to 4,000; for example, it may be 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1,000, 1,500, 2,000, 2,500, 3,000, 3,500 or 4,000, etc.

[0040] Preferably, the molecular weight of the polyethylene oxide ranges from 50,000 to 1,000,000; for example, it may be 50,000, 80,000, 100,000, 120,000, 150,000, 180,000, 200,000, 220,000, 250,000, 280,000, 300,000, 320,000, 350,000, 380,000, 400,000, 420,000, 450,000, 480,000, 500,000, 550,000, 600,000, 650,000, 700,000, 750,000, 800,000, 850,000, 900,000 or 1,000,000, etc.

[0041] Preferably, the molecular weight of the water-insoluble polymer ranges from 20,000 to 300,000; for example, it may be 20,000, 30,000, 50,000, 80,000, 100,000, 120,000, 150,000, 180,000, 200,000, 220,000, 250,000, 280,000 or 300,000, etc.

[0042] Preferably, the water-soluble polymer is polyethylene oxide with a molecular weight of 100,000 to 1,000,000 (e.g., 100,000, 120,000, 150,000, 180,000, 200,000, 220,000, 250,000, 280,000, 300,000, 320,000, 350,000, 380,000, 400,000, 420,000, 450,000, 480,000, 500,000, 550,000, 600,000, 650,000, 700,000, 750,000, 800,000, 850,000, 900,000 or 1,000,000, etc.), polyvinyl alcohol with a molecular weight of 800 to 5,000 (e.g., 800, 900, 1,000, 1,200, 1,500, 1,800, 2,000, 2,200, 2,500, 2,800, 3,000, 3,200, 3,500, 3,800, 4,000, 4,200, 4,500, 4,800 or 5,000, etc.), or polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 100 to 4,000 (e.g., 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1,000, 1,500, 2,000, 2,500, 3,000, 3,500 or 4,000, etc.).

[0043] The water-insoluble polymer is low-density polyethylene with a molecular weight of 30,000 to 100,000 (e.g., 30,000, 40,000, 50,000, 60,000, 70,000, 80,000, 90,000 or 100,000, etc.), homopolypropylene with a molecular weight of 80,000 to 150,000 (e.g., 80,000, 90,000, 100,000, 110,000, 120,000, 130,000, 140,000 or 150,000, etc.), ethylene-octene block copolymer with a molecular weight of 50,000 to 200,000 (e.g., 50,000, 60,000, 70,000, 80,000, 90,000, 100,000, 110,000, 120,000, 130,000, 140,000, 150,000, 160,000, 170,000, 180,000, 190,000 or 200,000, etc.), polycaprolactone with a molecular weight of 30,000 to 100,000 (e.g., 30,000, 40,000, 50,000, 60,000, 70,000, 80,000, 90,000 or 100,000, etc.), poly(butylene terephthalate-adipate) with a molecular weight of 20,000 to 100,000 (e.g., 20,000, 30,000, 40,000, 50,000, 60,000, 70,000, 80,000, 90,000 or 100,000, etc.), or ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer with a molecular weight of 30,000 to 100,000 (e.g., 30,000, 40,000, 50,000, 60,000, 70,000, 80,000, 90,000 or 100,000, etc.).

[0044] A mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is (40-60):(40-60); for example, it may be 40:60, 41:59, 42:58, 43:57, 44:56, 45:55, 46:54, 47:53, 48:52, 49:51, 50:50, 51:49, 52:48, 53:47, 54:46, 55:45, 56:44, 57:43, 58:42, 59:41 or 60:40, etc.

[0045] In the present disclosure, the structure and sustained-release behavior of the sustained-release functional material may be controlled by adjusting the type, molecular weight and ratio of the water-soluble polymer and the water-insoluble polymer. The sustained-release behavior of the sustained-release functional material is correlated with a continuity degree. When the continuity degree reaches 100%, it means that the water-soluble phase domains in the co-continuous structure can be completely dissolved out, i.e., all the functional substances can be dissolved out. A co-continuous structure with 100% continuity degree is usually formed at a specific blending ratio, and the specific blending ratio mainly depends on factors such as processing conditions and the rheological properties of the blended components. Therefore, for different insoluble substrates and water-soluble polymers, the blending ratio range for forming a co-continuous structure with 100% continuity degree varies. In the present disclosure, controlling these factors within the ranges described above can help the water-soluble phase and water-insoluble phase to form a co-continuous structure, thus ensuring that the sustained-release functional material has an appropriate sustained-release rate.

[0046] Preferably, the preparation method of the sustained-release functional material comprises: loading the functional substance onto the water-soluble substrate, and then obtaining the sustained-release functional material by blending the water-soluble substrate with the insoluble substrate at a processing temperature, wherein the minimum processing temperature of the water-soluble substrate and the insoluble substrate is less than or equal to the processing temperature, and the processing temperature is less than or equal to the maximum failure temperature of the functional substance; preferably, the processing temperature is a median temperature between the minimum processing temperature and the maximum failure temperature.

[0047] Processing at the optimal processing temperature defined in the present disclosure can, on the one hand, enable the water-soluble substrate and the insoluble substrate to form a better co-continuous phase structure, thereby ensuring that during application, the functional substance loaded on the water-soluble substrate can dissolve out uniformly and slowly to facilitate better application. On the other hand, the optimal processing temperature can endow final sustained-release functional material with a superior morphology and more excellent performance.

[0048] In the present disclosure, the median temperature refers to the following formula:

[0049] In the present disclosure, the preparation method of the sustained-release functional material is not limited specifically. As an exemplary preparation method, it may comprise the following steps: obtaining a water-soluble phase material by performing first blending of the functional substance with the water-soluble substrate; obtaining the sustained-release functional material by performing second blending of the water-soluble phase material with the insoluble substrate.

[0050] Both the first blending and the second blending can be carried out by using a twin-screw extruder or an internal mixer; the processing temperature can be selected according to the types of the functional substance, water-soluble substrate and insoluble substrate.

[0051] When a twin-screw extruder is adopted, the processing temperature for the second blending may range from 50 to 170 °C (e.g., 60 °C, 70 °C, 80 °C, 90 °C, 100 °C, 120 °C, 130 °C, 140 °C, 150 °C, 160 °C or 170 °C, etc.); the screw speed for the second blending may range from 50 to 150 rpm (e.g., 50 rpm, 60 rpm, 70 rpm, 80 rpm, 90 rpm, 100 rpm, 110 rpm, 120 rpm, 130 rpm, 140 rpm or 150 rpm, etc.); and the residence time may range from 2 to 5 min (e.g., 2 min, 2.5 min, 3 min, 3.5 min, 4 min, 4.5 min or 5 min, etc.).

[0052] When an internal mixer is adopted, the mixing temperature for the second blending may range from 50 to 180 °C (e.g., 60 °C, 70 °C, 80 °C, 90 °C, 100 °C, 120 °C, 130 °C, 140 °C, 150 °C, 160 °C, 170 °C or 180 °C, etc.); the rotation speed may range from 50 to 100 rpm (e.g., 50 rpm, 60 rpm, 70 rpm, 80 rpm, 90 rpm or 100 rpm, etc.); and the mixing time may range from 5 to 10 min (e.g., 5 min, 5.5 min, 6 min, 6.5 min, 7 min, 7.5 min, 8 min, 8.5 min, 9 min, 9.5 min or 10 min, etc.).

[0053] In the present disclosure, the blending method exerts a certain influence on the size and structure of the water-soluble phase and the water-insoluble phase. Controlling the blending process conditions within the ranges described above helps the water-soluble phase and the water-insoluble phase to form a co-continuous structure with an appropriate phase domain size.

[0054] Preferably, the water-soluble substrate and the functional substance loaded thereon form a water-soluble phase in the sustained-release carrier structure, and the water-soluble phase is a continuous phase.

[0055] Preferably, the insoluble substrate forms a water-insoluble phase in the sustained-release carrier structure, and the water-insoluble phase is a continuous phase.

[0056] In the present disclosure, the continuous phase refers to that the water-soluble phase or the water-insoluble phase in the sustained-release carrier structure is a continuous integral body, which presents as a continuous network structure in the sustained-release carrier structure. When both the water-soluble phase and the water-insoluble phase are continuous phases, a co-continuous structure is constituted. On the one hand, it ensures that the water-soluble phase can be completely dissolved out in water; on the other hand, the continuous water-insoluble phase can provide a certain supporting effect, preventing the sustained-release carrier structure from collapsing during the dissolution process of the water-soluble phase.

[0057] Preferably, a length of a short side of the phase domain of the water-soluble phase ranges from 100 nm to 10 µ m, for example, it may be 100 nm, 200 nm, 300 nm, 400 nm, 500 nm, 600 nm, 700 nm, 800 nm, 900 nm, 1 µ m, 1.2 µ m, 1.5 µ m, 1.8 µ m, 2 µ m, 2.2 µ m, 2.5 µ m, 2.8 µ m, 3 µ m, 4 µ m, 5 µ m, 6 µ m, 7 µ m, 8 µ m, 9 µ m or 10 µ m, etc.; a length of a short side of the phase domain of the water-insoluble phase ranges from 100 nm to 10 µ m, for example, it may be 100 nm, 200 nm, 300 nm, 400 nm, 500 nm, 600 nm, 700 nm, 800 nm, 900 nm, 1 µ m, 1.2 µ m, 1.5 µ m, 1.8 µ m, 2 µ m, 2.2 µ m, 2.5 µ m, 2.8 µ m, 3 µ m, 4 µ m, 5 µ m, 6 µ m, 7 µ m, 8 µ m, 9 µ m or 10 µ m, etc.

[0058] It should be noted that the length of the short side of the phase domain in the present disclosure referred to a minimum dimension in the direction passing through the center of the cross-section in the different cross-sectional shapes of the phase domain. For example, if a phase domain is cylindrical, the length of the short side of the phase domain at the phase domain is the diameter of the cylinder; if a phase domain is lamellar, the length of the short side of the phase domain at the phase domain is the thickness of the lamella.

[0059] Preferably, the functional substance is selected from any one or a combination of at least two of aromatherapy materials, detergents, scale inhibitors, bactericides, bacteriostats, water treatment materials, laundry treatment agents, color fixatives, biofilm removers and colorants.

[0060] In a second aspect, the present disclosure provides the application of the sustained-release functional material as described in the first aspect in a washing device.

[0061] Preferably, the sustained-release functional material is used in the aromatherapy module, washing module, scale inhibition module, sterilization module, bacteriostasis module, water treatment module, laundry treatment module, color fixation module or coloring module of the washing device.

[0062] The sustained-release functional material is further described below through specific embodiments.Embodiment 1

[0063] The present embodiment provides a sustained-release dyeing material, the structural schematic diagram of which is shown in FIG. 1. The sustained-release dyeing material comprises a blended insoluble substrate, a water-soluble substrate, and a functional substance loaded on the water-soluble substrate. The water-soluble substrate is a water-soluble polymer material, the insoluble substrate is a water-insoluble polymer material, and the functional substance is a dyeing material.

[0064] The water-soluble substrate and the functional substance loaded onto the water-soluble substrate form a water-soluble phase (the white area in FIG. 1) in the sustained-release carrier structure, while the insoluble substrate forms a water-insoluble phase (the black area in FIG. 1). Both the water-soluble phase and the water-insoluble phase are continuous phases.

[0065] The mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is 55:45, and the mass ratio of the water-soluble polymer material to the dyeing material is 2:1.

[0066] The water-soluble polymer material is polyethylene oxide (with a minimum processing temperature of 60-80 °C, manufactured by Lanxess Chemical Co., Ltd., Germany, and a number-average molecular weight of 300,000). The dyeing component is a reactive anionic dye (the maximum failure temperature of 300-320 °C). The water-insoluble polymer material is low-density polyethylene (with a minimum processing temperature of 130-150 °C, low-density polyethylene 2426H manufactured by Maoming Petrochemical Company, and a number-average molecular weight of 90,000).

[0067] The preparation method of the sustained-release dyeing material in the present embodiment is as follows: (1) Drying the polyethylene oxide at a temperature of 50 °C for 6 hours; (2) Using a twin-screw extruder to perform a first blending of polyethylene oxide and cedarwood oil. The operating temperatures of the twin-screw extruder are set as follows: Zone 1 at 80 °C, Zone 2 at 120 °C, Zone 3 at 140 °C, Zone 4 at 140 °C, Zone 5 at 140 °C, Zone 6 at 140 °C, and the die temperature at 120 °C; the screw speed is 50 rpm and the material residence time is 3 minutes; Air-cooling mixture obtained from the first blending to below 50 °C, then carrying out granulation to obtain water-soluble masterbatch with a particle size of 2-5 mm; (3) Using a twin-screw extruder to perform a second blending of the water-soluble masterbatch obtained in step (2) with low-density polyethylene. The operating temperatures of the twin-screw extruder are set as follows: Zone 1 at 150 °C, Zone 2 at 160 °C, Zone 3 at 170 °C, Zone 4 at 170 °C, Zone 5 at 170 °C, Zone 6 at 170 °C, and the die temperature at 160 °C; the screw speed is 50 rpm and the material residence time is 3 minutes;

[0068] Air-cooling the mixture obtained from the second blending to below 50 °C, then carrying out granulation to obtain the sustained-release dyeing material.Embodiment 2

[0069] The present embodiment provides a sustained-release dyeing material.

[0070] The difference from embodiment 1 lies in the preparation method, which is as follows: (1) Drying the polyethylene oxide at a temperature of 50 °C for 6 hours; (2) Using a twin-screw extruder to perform the first blending of polyethylene oxide and cedarwood oil. The operating temperatures of the twin-screw extruder are set as follows: Zone 1 at 60 °C, Zone 2 at 100 °C, Zone 3 at 120 °C, Zone 4 at 120 °C, Zone 5 at 120 °C, Zone 6 at 120 °C, and the die temperature at 100 °C; the screw speed is 50 rpm and the material residence time is 3 minutes; Air-cooling the mixture obtained from the first blending to below 50 °C, then carrying out granulation to obtain water-soluble masterbatch with a particle size of 2-5 mm; (3) Using a twin-screw extruder to perform the second blending of the water-soluble masterbatch obtained in step (2) with low-density polyethylene. The operating temperatures of the twin-screw extruder are set as follows: Zone 1 at 130 °C, Zone 2 at 150 °C, Zone 3 at 150 °C, Zone 4 at 150 °C, Zone 5 at 150 °C, Zone 6 at 150 °C, and the die temperature at 140 °C; the screw speed is 50 rpm and the material residence time is 3 minutes; Air-cooling the mixture obtained from the second blending to below 50 °C, then carrying out granulation to obtain the sustained-release dyeing material. Embodiment 3

[0071] The present embodiment provides a sustained-release detergent material, which comprises a blended insoluble substrate, a water-soluble substrate, and a functional substance loaded on the water-soluble substrate. The water-soluble substrate is a water-soluble polymer material, the insoluble substrate is a water-insoluble polymer material, and the functional substance is a detergent material.

[0072] The water-soluble substrate and the functional substance loaded onto the water-soluble substrate form a water-soluble phase in the sustained-release carrier structure, while the insoluble substrate forms a water-insoluble phase. Both the water-soluble phase and the water-insoluble phase are continuous phases.

[0073] The mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is 55:45, and the mass ratio of the water-soluble polymer material to the detergent material is 1:1.

[0074] The water-soluble polymer material is polyethylene oxide (a minimum processing temperature of 60-80 °C, manufactured by Lanxess Chemical Co., Ltd., Germany, and a number-average molecular weight of 100,000). The detergent material is composed of alcohol ethoxylate (AEO) and fatty acid methyl ester ethoxylate (FMEE) at a mass ratio of 1:1 (with a maximum failure temperature of 160-180 °C). The water-insoluble polymer material is ethylene-octene block copolymer (with a minimum processing temperature of 70-90 °C, POE6102 produced by ExxonMobil, and a melt flow index of 1.5 g / 10min).

[0075] The preparation method of the sustained-release detergent material in the present embodiment is as follows: (1) Drying the polyethylene oxide at a temperature of 50 °C for 6 hours; (2) Using a twin-screw extruder to perform the first blending of polyethylene oxide and the detergent material. The operating temperatures of the twin-screw extruder are set as follows: Zone 1 at 80 °C, Zone 2 at 100 °C, Zone 3 at 100 °C, Zone 4 at 100 °C, Zone 5 at 100 °C, Zone 6 at 100 °C, and the die temperature at 90 °C; the screw speed is 50 rpm and the material residence time is 3 minutes; Air-cooling the mixture obtained from the first blending to below 50 °C, then carrying out granulation to obtain water-soluble masterbatch with a particle size of 2-5 mm; (3) Using a twin-screw extruder to perform the second blending of the water-soluble masterbatch obtained in step (2) with ethylene-octene block copolymer. The operating temperatures of the twin-screw extruder are set as follows: Zone 1 at 80 °C, Zone 2 at 110 °C, Zone 3 at 110 °C, Zone 4 at 110 °C, Zone 5 at 110 °C, Zone 6 at 110 °C, and the die temperature at 100 °C; the screw speed is 50 rpm and the material residence time is 3 minutes;

[0076] Air-cooling the mixture obtained from the second blending to below 50 °C, then carrying out granulation to obtain the solid detergent material.Embodiment 4

[0077] The present embodiment provides a sustained-release detergent material. The difference from Example 3 lies in the preparation method, which is as follows: (1) Drying the polyethylene oxide at a temperature of 50 °C for 6 hours; (2) Using a twin-screw extruder to perform the first blending of polyethylene oxide and the detergent material. The operating temperatures of the twin-screw extruder are set as follows: Zone 1 at 100 °C, Zone 2 at 120 °C, Zone 3 at 120 °C, Zone 4 at 120 °C, Zone 5 at 120 °C, Zone 6 at 120 °C, and the die temperature at 110 °C; the screw speed is 50 rpm and the material residence time is 3 minutes; Air-cooling the mixture obtained from the first blending to below 50 °C, then carrying out granulation to obtain water-soluble masterbatch with a particle size of 2-5 mm; (3) Using a twin-screw extruder to perform the second blending of the water-soluble masterbatch obtained in step (2) with ethylene-octene block copolymer. The operating temperatures of the twin-screw extruder are set as follows: Zone 1 at 100 °C, Zone 2 at 130 °C, Zone 3 at 130 °C, Zone 4 at 130 °C, Zone 5 at 130 °C, Zone 6 at 130 °C, and the die temperature at 120 °C; the screw speed is 50 rpm and the material residence time is 3 minutes; Air-cooling the mixture obtained from the second blending to below 50 °C, then carry out granulation to obtain the solid detergent material. Embodiment 5

[0078] The present embodiment provides a sustained-release detergent material, which comprises a blended insoluble substrate, a water-soluble substrate, and a functional substance loaded on the water-soluble substrate. The water-soluble substrate is a water-soluble polymer material, the insoluble substrate is a water-insoluble polymer material, and the functional substance is a detergent material.

[0079] The water-soluble substrate and the functional substance loaded onto the water-soluble substrate form a water-soluble phase in the sustained-release carrier structure, while the insoluble substrate forms a water-insoluble phase; both the water-soluble phase and the water-insoluble phase are continuous phases.

[0080] The mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is 40:60, and the mass ratio of the water-soluble polymer material to the detergent material is 80:20.

[0081] The water-soluble polymer material is polyvinyl alcohol (with a minimum processing temperature of 60-80 °C, PVA-1799 manufactured by Anhui Wanwei Co., Ltd., and a number-average molecular weight of 1,700). The detergent material is composed of alcohol ethoxylate (AEO), fatty acid methyl ester ethoxylate (FMEE) and sodium percarbonate at a mass ratio of 2:2:1 (with a maximum failure temperature of 160-180 °C). The water-insoluble polymer material is polycaprolactone (with a minimum processing temperature of 55-75 °C, PCL6800 manufactured by Solvay Specialty Polymers USA, and a number-average molecular weight of 80,000).

[0082] The preparation method of the sustained-release detergent material in the present embodiment is as follows: (1) Drying the polyvinyl alcohol at a temperature of 50 °C for 6 hours; (2) Using a twin-screw extruder to perform the first blending of polyvinyl alcohol and the detergent material. The operating temperatures of the twin-screw extruder are set as follows: Zone 1 at 60 °C, Zone 2 at 80 °C, Zone 3 at 80 °C, Zone 4 at 80 °C, Zone 5 at 80 °C, Zone 6 at 80 °C, and the die temperature at 75 °C; the screw speed is 50 rpm and the material residence time is 3 minutes; Air-cooling the mixture obtained from the first blending to below 50 °C, then carrying out granulation to obtain water-soluble masterbatch with a particle size of 2-5 mm; (3) Using a twin-screw extruder to perform the second blending of the water-soluble masterbatch obtained in step (2) with polycaprolactone. The operating temperatures of the twin-screw extruder are set as follows: Zone 1 at 60 °C, Zone 2 at 80 °C, Zone 3 at 80 °C, Zone 4 at 80 °C, Zone 5 at 85 °C, Zone 6 at 85 °C, and the die temperature at 75 °C; the screw speed is 50 rpm and the material residence time is 3 minutes; Air-cooling the mixture obtained from the second blending to below 50 °C, then carrying out granulation to obtain the solid detergent material. Embodiment 6

[0083] The present embodiment provides a sustained-release aromatherapy material, which comprises a blended insoluble substrate, a water-soluble substrate, and a functional substance loaded on the water-soluble substrate. The water-soluble substrate is a water-soluble polymer material, the insoluble substrate is a water-insoluble polymer material, and the functional substance is an aromatherapy material.

[0084] The water-soluble substrate and the functional substance loaded on the water-soluble substrate form a water-soluble phase in the sustained-release carrier structure, while the insoluble substrate forms a water-insoluble phase; both the water-soluble phase and the water-insoluble phase are continuous phases.

[0085] The mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is 50:50, and the mass ratio of the water-soluble polymer material to the aromatherapy material is 80:20.

[0086] The water-soluble polymer material is polyethylene oxide (a minimum processing temperature of 60-80 °C, manufactured by Lanxess Chemical Co., Ltd., Germany, and a number-average molecular weight of 300,000). The aromatherapy material is microencapsulated fragrance (the "lemon" fragrance type produced by Hefei Ruixue New Material Technology Co., Ltd., with a maximum failure temperature of 210-230 °C). The water-insoluble polymer material is low-density polyethylene (with a minimum processing temperature of 130-150 °C, low-density polyethylene 2426H produced by Maoming Petrochemical Company, and a number-average molecular weight of 90,000).

[0087] The preparation method of the sustained-release aromatherapy material in the present embodiment is as follows: (1) Drying the polyethylene oxide at a temperature of 50 °C for 6 hours; (2) Using a twin-screw extruder to perform the first blending of polyethylene oxide and microencapsulated fragrance. The operating temperatures of the twin-screw extruder are set as follows: Zone 1 at 80 °C, Zone 2 at 120 °C, Zone 3 at 140 °C, Zone 4 at 140 °C, Zone 5 at 140 °C, Zone 6 at 140 °C, and the die temperature at 120 °C; the screw speed is 50 rpm and the material residence time is 3 minutes; Air-cooling the mixture obtained from the first blending to below 50 °C, then carrying out granulation to obtain water-soluble masterbatch with a particle size of 2-5 mm; (3) Using a twin-screw extruder to perform the second blending of the water-soluble masterbatch obtained in step (2) with low-density polyethylene. The operating temperatures of the twin-screw extruder are set as follows: Zone 1 at 80 °C, Zone 2 at 140 °C, Zone 3 at 170 °C, Zone 4 at 170 °C, Zone 5 at 170 °C, Zone 6 at 170 °C, and the die temperature at 160 °C; the screw speed is 50 rpm and the material residence time is 3 minutes; Air-cooling the mixture obtained from the second blending to below 50 °C, then carrying out granulation to obtain the solid aromatherapy material. Embodiment 7

[0088] The present embodiment provides a sustained-release aromatherapy material. The difference from Embodiment 6 lies in the preparation method, which is as follows: (1) Drying the polyethylene oxide at a temperature of 50 °C for 6 hours; (2) Using a twin-screw extruder to perform the first blending of polyethylene oxide and microencapsulated fragrance. The operating temperatures of the twin-screw extruder are set as follows: Zone 1 at 50 °C, Zone 2 at 90 °C, Zone 3 at 110 °C, Zone 4 at 110 °C, Zone 5 at 110 °C, Zone 6 at 110 °C, and the die temperature at 90 °C; the screw speed is 50 rpm and the material residence time is 3 minutes; Air-cooling the mixture obtained from the first blending to below 50 °C, then carrying out granulation to obtain water-soluble masterbatch with a particle size of 2-5 mm; (3) Using a twin-screw extruder to perform the second blending of the water-soluble masterbatch obtained in step (2) with low-density polyethylene. The operating temperatures of the twin-screw extruder are set as follows: Zone 1 at 50 °C, Zone 2 at 110 °C, Zone 3 at 140 °C, Zone 4 at 140 °C, Zone 5 at 140 °C, Zone 6 at 140 °C, and the die temperature at 130 °C; the screw speed is 50 rpm and the material residence time is 3 minutes; Air-cooling the mixture obtained from the second blending to below 50 °C, then carrying out granulation to obtain the solid aromatherapy material. Embodiment 8

[0089] The present embodiment provides a sustained-release aromatherapy material, with the differences from embodiment 6 being as follows: The mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is 60:40, and the mass ratio of the water-soluble polymer material to the aromatherapy material is 70:30; The water-soluble polymer material is polyvinyl alcohol (with a minimum processing temperature of 60-80 °C, PVA-1799 manufactured by Anhui Wanwei Co., Ltd., and a number-average molecular weight of 1,700), and the water-insoluble polymer material is low-density polyethylene (with a minimum processing temperature of 130-150 °C , low-density polyethylene 2426H manufactured by Maoming Petrochemical Company, and a number-average molecular weight of 90,000). Comparative Example 1

[0090] The present comparative example provides a sustained-release dyeing material. The only difference from embodiment 1 is that the mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is 20:80.Comparative Example 2

[0091] The present comparative example provides a sustained-release aromatherapy material.

[0092] The only difference from embodiment 3 is that the mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is 80:20.Performance Tests

[0093] The performance of the sustained-release carrier structures provided in the above embodiments and comparative examples was tested respectively, with the test methods as follows: Tensile Strength and Elongation at Break: the tensile properties were tested using a universal tensile testing machine according to the test standard GB / T 1040-2006, at a tensile speed of 50 mm / min.

[0094] Test method for dissolution rate comprises: preparing the solid aromatherapy material into samples with dimensions of 10 mm × 10 mm × 4 mm, with an initial mass recorded as m1; rinsing the samples with tap water at a flow rate of 2.5 L / min under room temperature conditions. stopping rinsing when the sample mass reaches a constant state, then taking out the samples, drying the samples and weighing the samples, with the final mass recorded as m2; the total volume of rinsing water as v; calculating the dissolution rate using the formula: Dissolution Rate = (m1-m2) / v Criteria for determining Constant Sample Mass: The mass difference of the sample before and after 1 hour of rinsing is less than 0.01 g.

[0095] All samples shall be dried in a blast drying oven at 60 °C before weighing. The dry criteria is that the mass difference of the sample before and after 1 hour of drying is less than 0.01 g.

[0096] Water-Soluble Phase Continuity: preparing the solid aromatherapy material into samples with dimensions of 10 mm × 10 mm × 4 mm and weighing them to obtain the initial mass m1; soaking the samples in water at 30 °C until the mass is constant, then taking the samples out, drying and weighing the samples to obtain the final mass m2; Water-Soluble Phase Continuity = Mass of Dissolved Water-Soluble Phase in Sample / Theoretical Mass of Water-Soluble Phase, wherein the mass of dissolved water-soluble phase =m1-m2.

[0097] Morphological Characterization: Observing the morphology of the sustained-release carrier material after immersion using a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

[0098] The results of the above tests are shown in Table 1 below. Table 1samplesTensile Strength (MPa)Elongation at Break (%)Water-Soluble Phase Continuity (%)Dissolution rate (g / L)embodiment 111.17.71000.0024embodiment 29.66.51000.0027embodiment 36.4526.61000.0022embodiment 45.9423.7980.0020embodiment 519.6431.51000.0028embodiment 612.610.31000.0013embodiment 710.99.21000.0015embodiment 810.36.41000.0027Comparative Example 118.6129.6340.00004Comparative Example 25.643.91000.082

[0099] It can be seen from the test results in Table 1 that the continuity of the water-soluble phase in the sustained-release functional material provided in the present disclosure is above 95%, the dissolution rate in water ranges from 0.0001 g / L to 0.003 g / L, the tensile strength is between 5 MPa and 20 MPa, and the elongation at break is from 5% to 600%, indicating excellent mechanical properties that facilitate storage, transportation and application.

[0100] The surface morphology of the sustained-release carrier material (water-insoluble phase) provided in embodiment 1 after immersion is shown in FIG. 2. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the water-insoluble phase is continuous, and the length of the short side of the phase domain for both the water-insoluble phase and the water-soluble phase (the void area in the figure) is in the range of 100 nm to 10 µ m.

[0101] It can be demonstrated that an appropriate processing temperature can optimize the performance of the resulting sustained-release functional material through comparisons between embodiment 2 and embodiment 1, embodiment 4 and embodiment 3, as well as embodiment 7 and embodiment 6. Compared with embodiment 1, Comparative example 1 has a low proportion of the water-soluble phase, which results in low continuity of the water-soluble phase in the sustained-release carrier material, failure to form a co-continuous structure, difficulty in complete release of the water-soluble phase, and a slow release rate. In Comparative example 2, the low proportion of the water-insoluble phase leads to an excessively high dissolution rate of the sustained-release carrier material and easy disintegration of the material.

[0102] In a third aspect, the present disclosure further provides a sustained-release carrier material; the sustained-release carrier material comprises a blended water-soluble phase and water-insoluble phase.

[0103] The water-soluble phase is a water-soluble material.

[0104] The dissolution rate of the water-soluble material in water ranges from 0.0001 g / L to 0.003 g / L.

[0105] In the present disclosure, the test method for the dissolution rate comprises: preparing the sustained-release carrier material into samples with dimensions of 10 mm × 10 mm × 4 mm and recording the initial mass as m1; rinsing the samples with tap water at a flow rate of 2.5 L / min; taking out the samples, drying and weighing the samples to obtain the constant mass as m2 when the sample mass is constant; recording the total volume of the rinsing water as v; the dissolution rate is calculated according to the formula: Dissolution Rate = (m1-m2) / v.

[0106] The sustained-release carrier material provided in the present disclosure comprise a blended water-soluble phase and water-insoluble phase. The water-soluble phase can continuously dissolve slowly in an aqueous environment, and thus the sustained-release carrier material can be used to load water-soluble functional materials (e.g., aromatherapy materials, detergents, colorants, etc.), realizing simple and efficient sustained release of the loaded materials in the aqueous environment. The phase domain structure and sustained-release rate of the carrier material are controllable, which can be adjusted by modifying the type, molecular weight and proportion of the constituent materials. By adjusting the dissolution rate of the water-soluble material in water, the sustained-release carrier material can be well adapted to various application scenarios (such as washing machines, dishwashers and other equipment), exhibiting excellent sustained-release performance under different water flow rates in these scenarios, thereby achieving the desired service life for the intended applications.

[0107] The sustained-release functional materials prepared by using the sustained-release carrier material can be applied in washing apparatus, which can slowly release functional components during water injection, achieving simple and efficient sustained release of the functional components. The sustained-release carrier material with a specific dissolution rate can be well adapted to the water volume conditions of conventional washing apparatus during a single washing cycle, releasing functional materials at an effective concentration and achieving a favorable expected service life. Within the expected service life, users can obtain the beneficial technical effects brought by the functional materials without frequent replacement, thus improving the user experience.

[0108] The sustained-release carrier material provided in the present disclosure is formed by blending water-soluble phase materials and water-insoluble phase materials. When the sustained-release carrier material is placed in an aqueous environment, the water-soluble phase material on the surface layer dissolves with water, and a porous structure is formed on the water-insoluble matrix. Water flow further penetrates into the interior of the matrix along the pore channels, enabling the water-soluble phase material in the inner layer of the matrix to also dissolve with water. Therefore, it can be used to load water-soluble functional materials (e.g., aromatherapy materials, detergents, colorants, etc.), realizing simple and efficient sustained release of the loaded materials in the aqueous environment.

[0109] The phase domain structure and sustained-release rate of the sustained-release carrier material provided in the present disclosure are controllable, which can be adjusted by modifying the type, molecular weight and proportion of the constituent materials. By adjusting the dissolution rate of the water-soluble material in water, the sustained-release carrier material can be well adapted to various application scenarios (such as washing machines, dishwashers and other equipment), exhibiting favorable sustained-release performance under different water flow rates in these scenarios, thereby achieving the desired service life for the intended applications. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, both the water-soluble phase and the water-insoluble phase are continuous phases.

[0110] In the present disclosure, the continuous phase refers to that the water-soluble phase or water-insoluble phase in the sustained-release carrier material are a continuous integral structure, presenting as a continuous network structure within the sustained-release carrier material. When both the water-soluble phase and the water-insoluble phase are continuous phases, a co-continuous structure is formed. On one hand, the co-continuous structure ensures that the water-soluble phase can be completely dissolved in water; on the other hand, the continuous water-insoluble phase can provide a certain supporting effect, preventing the sustained-release carrier material from collapsing during the dissolution process of the water-soluble phase.

[0111] Preferably, the length of the short side of the phase domain of the water-soluble phase is in the range of 100 nm to 10 µ m, for example, 100 nm, 200 nm, 300 nm, 400 nm, 500 nm, 600 nm, 700 nm, 800 nm, 900 nm, 1 µ m, 1.2 µ m, 1.5 µ m, 1.8 µ m, 2 µ m, 2.2 µ m, 2.5 µ m, 2.8 µ m, 3 µ m, 4 µ m, 5 µ m, 6 µ m, 7 µ m, 8 µ m, 9 µ m or 10 µ m; the length of the short side of the phase domain of the water-insoluble phase is in the range of 100 nm to 10 µ m, for example, 100 nm, 200 nm, 300 nm, 400 nm, 500 nm, 600 nm, 700 nm, 800 nm, 900 nm, 1 µ m, 1.2 µ m, 1.5 µ m, 1.8 µ m, 2 µ m, 2.2 µ m, 2.5 µ m, 2.8 µ m, 3 µ m, 4 µ m, 5 µ m, 6 µ m, 7 µ m, 8 µ m, 9 µ m or 10 µ m.

[0112] It should be noted that the length of the short side of the phase domain described in the present disclosure refers to the minimum dimension in the direction passing through the center of the cross-sectional shape in different cross-sectional shapes of the phase domain. For example, when a phase domain at a certain position is cylindrical, the length of the short side of the phase domain at the position is the diameter of the cylinder; when a phase domain at a certain position is flaky, the length of the short side of the phase domain at the position is the thickness of the flake.

[0113] Preferably, the mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is (30-70):(30-70); for example, it may be 30:70, 32:68, 35:65, 38:62, 40:60, 42:58, 45:55, 48:52, 50:50, 52:48, 55:45, 58:42, 60:40, 62:38, 65:35, 68:32 or 70:30, etc. A preferred ratio is (40-60):(40-60).

[0114] Preferably, the water-soluble material is selected from one or more of polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, polyethylene oxide, polyacrylamide and polyvinylpyrrolidone.

[0115] Preferably, the molecular weight of the water-soluble material ranges from 100 to 1,000,000; for example, it may be 100, 300, 500, 800, 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 5,000, 6,000, 8,000, 10,000, 20,000, 30,000, 50,000, 80,000, 100,000, 120,000, 150,000, 180,000, 200,000, 220,000, 250,000, 280,000, 300,000, 320,000, 350,000, 380,000, 400,000, 420,000, 450,000, 480,000, 500,000, 550,000, 600,000, 650,000, 700,000, 750,000, 800,000, 850,000, 900,000 or 1,000,000, etc.

[0116] Preferably, the molecular weight of the polyvinyl alcohol ranges from 800 to 5,000; for example, it may be 800, 900, 1,000, 1,200, 1,500, 1,800, 2,000, 2,200, 2,500, 2,800, 3,000, 3,200, 3,500, 3,800, 4,000, 4,200, 4,500, 4,800 or 5,000, etc.

[0117] Preferably, the molecular weight of the polyethylene glycol ranges from 100 to 4,000; for example, it may be 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1,000, 1,500, 2,000, 2,500, 3,000, 3,500 or 4,000, etc.

[0118] Preferably, the molecular weight of the polyethylene oxide ranges from 50,000 to 1,000,000; for example, it may be 50,000, 80,000, 100,000, 120,000, 150,000, 180,000, 200,000, 220,000, 250,000, 280,000, 300,000, 320,000, 350,000, 380,000, 400,000, 420,000, 450,000, 480,000, 500,000, 550,000, 600,000, 650,000, 700,000, 750,000, 800,000, 850,000, 900,000 or 1,000,000, etc.

[0119] Preferably, the water-insoluble phase is a water-insoluble material.

[0120] Preferably, the water-insoluble material is selected from one or more of polyolefins, polyesters and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers.

[0121] Preferably, the molecular weight of the water-insoluble material ranges from 20,000 to 300,000; for example, 20,000, 30,000, 50,000, 80,000, 100,000, 120,000, 150,000, 180,000, 200,000, 220,000, 250,000, 280,000 or 300,000, etc.

[0122] Preferably, the water-soluble material is polyethylene oxide with a molecular weight of 100,000 to 1,000,000 (e.g., 100,000, 120,000, 150,000, 180,000, 200,000, 220,000, 250,000, 280,000, 300,000, 320,000, 350,000, 380,000, 400,000, 420,000, 450,000, 480,000, 500,000, 550,000, 600,000, 650,000, 700,000, 750,000, 800,000, 850,000, 900,000 or 1,000,000, etc.), polyvinyl alcohol with a molecular weight of 800 to 5,000 (e.g., 800, 900, 1,000, 1,200, 1,500, 1,800, 2,000, 2,200, 2,500, 2,800, 3,000, 3,200, 3,500, 3,800, 4,000, 4,200, 4,500, 4,800 or 5,000, etc.) or polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 100 to 4,000 (e.g., 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1,000, 1,500, 2,000, 2,500, 3,000, 3,500 or 4,000, etc.).

[0123] The water-insoluble material is low-density polyethylene with a molecular weight of 30,000 to 100,000 (e.g., 30,000, 40,000, 50,000, 60,000, 70,000, 80,000, 90,000 or 100,000, etc.), isotactic polypropylene with a molecular weight of 80,000 to 150,000 (e.g., 80,000, 90,000, 100,000, 110,000, 120,000, 130,000, 140,000 or 150,000, etc.), ethylene-octene block copolymer with a molecular weight of 50,000 to 200,000 (e.g., 50,000, 60,000, 70,000, 80,000, 90,000, 100,000, 110,000, 120,000, 130,000, 140,000, 150,000, 160,000, 170,000, 180,000, 190,000 or 200,000, etc.), polycaprolactone with a molecular weight of 30,000 to 100,000 (e.g., 30,000, 40,000, 50,000, 60,000, 70,000, 80,000, 90,000 or 100,000, etc.), poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) with a molecular weight of 20,000 to 100,000 (e.g., 20,000, 30,000, 40,000, 50,000, 60,000, 70,000, 80,000, 90,000 or 100,000, etc.) or ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer with a molecular weight of 30,000 to 100,000 (e.g., 30,000, 40,000, 50,000, 60,000, 70,000, 80,000, 90,000 or 100,000, etc.).

[0124] The mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is (40 - 60):(40 - 60); for example, it may be 40:60, 41:59, 42:58, 43:57, 44:56, 45:55, 46:54, 47:53, 48:52, 49:51, 50:50, 51:49, 52:48, 53:47, 54:46, 55:45, 56:44, 57:43, 58:42, 59:41 or 60:40, etc.

[0125] In the present disclosure, the structure and sustained-release behavior of the sustained-release carrier material can be controlled by adjusting the type, molecular weight and proportion of the water-soluble material and water-insoluble material. The sustained-release behavior of the sustained-release carrier material is related to its continuity. When the continuity reaches 100%, it means that the water-soluble phase domains in the co-continuous structure can be completely dissolved. A co-continuous structure with 100% continuity is usually formed at a specific blending ratio, and the specific blending ratio mainly depends on factors such as processing conditions and the rheological properties of the blended components. Therefore, for different water-insoluble matrices and water-soluble materials, the blending ratio range for forming a co-continuous structure with 100% continuity is different. In the present disclosure, controlling the factors within the above ranges helps the water-soluble phase and water-insoluble phase to form a co-continuous structure, ensuring that the sustained-release carrier material has a suitable sustained-release rate.

[0126] In a fourth aspect, the present disclosure further provides a sustained-release carrier material and application thereof.

[0127] The sustained-release carrier material comprises a blended water-soluble phase and water-insoluble phase. The tensile strength of the sustained-release carrier material ranges from 5 MPa to 50 MPa, for example, 10 MPa, 15 MPa, 20 MPa, 25 MPa, 30 MPa, 35 MPa, 40 MPa or 45 MPa, etc.; the elongation at break ranges from 8% to 800%, for example, 8%, 10%, 20%, 50%, 100%, 150%, 200%, 300%, 500%, 600% or 800%, etc.

[0128] Preferably, after the sustained-release carrier material completes sustained release in water, more than 95% of the mass of the water-soluble phase dissolves in water, i.e., the continuity of the water-soluble phase is above 95%.

[0129] Preferably, after the sustained-release carrier material completes sustained release in water, less than 5% of the mass of the water-insoluble phase disperses in water, i.e., the water-insoluble phase is also a continuous phase, meaning that the water-soluble phase and the water-insoluble phase form a co-continuous structure.

[0130] The present disclosure forms a sustained-release carrier by blending water-soluble phase materials with water-insoluble phase materials. When the sustained-release carrier is placed in an aqueous environment, the water-soluble phase material on the surface layer dissolves in water. As the water-soluble phase material dissolves, a porous structure is formed on the water-insoluble matrix, which can further allow water flow to penetrate into the interior of the matrix along the pore channels, thereby enabling the water-soluble phase material in the inner layer of the matrix to also dissolve in water. Therefore, it can be used to load water-soluble functional materials (e.g., aromatherapy materials, detergents, scale inhibitors, bactericides, colorants, etc.), thereby realizing simple and efficient sustained release of water-soluble functional components in the aqueous environment.

[0131] The sustained-release carrier material provided in the present disclosure must not only meet certain sustained-release requirements, but also satisfy specific strength and toughness requirements to ensure that the sustained-release carrier material loaded with functional components can be stored and applied. The requirements ensure that the material will not break during assembly and use, and that the remaining components after the dissolution of the functional components and the water-soluble phase can still remain as an integral whole, thereby avoiding affecting the application. The sustained-release carrier material provided in the present disclosure has physical parameters suitable for the water-based sustained-release environment, and can maintain the inherent morphology of the sustained-release carrier under the impact of water flow. Higher tensile strength means that the sustained-release functional material has a longer service life, providing users with a better application experience. A high continuity of the water-soluble phase enables the effective functional substances loaded on the sustained-release carrier material to be released more fully for exerting effects in the aqueous environment, thereby improving the application effect of the sustained-release carrier material.

[0132] Both the water-soluble phase and the water-insoluble phase in the sustained-release carrier material provided in the present disclosure are a continuous phase structure. The continuous phase refers to that the water-soluble phase or the water-insoluble phase in the sustained-release carrier material are a continuous integral structure, presenting as a continuous network structure within the material.

[0133] When both the water-soluble phase and the water-insoluble phase are continuous phases, a co-continuous structure is formed. The co-continuous structure can ensure that more than 95% of the water-soluble phase dissolves in water, and can also maintain the water-insoluble phase as a continuous integral structure, thereby preventing the water-insoluble phase from collapsing as the water-soluble phase dissolves.

[0134] Preferably, the length of the short side of the phase domain of the water-soluble phase is in the range of 100 nm to 10 µ m; for example, it may be 100 nm, 200 nm, 300 nm, 400 nm, 500 nm, 600 nm, 700 nm, 800 nm, 900 nm, 1 µ m, 1.2 µ m, 1.5 µ m, 1.8 µ m, 2 µ m, 2.2 µ m, 2.5 µ m, 2.8 µ m, 3 µ m, 4 µ m, 5 µ m, 6 µ m, 7 µ m, 8 µ m, 9 µ m or 10 µ m, etc. The length of the short side of the phase domain of the water-insoluble phase is in the range of 100 nm to 10 µ m; for example, it may be 100 nm, 200 nm, 300 nm, 400 nm, 500 nm, 600 nm, 700 nm, 800 nm, 900 nm, 1 µ m, 1.2 µ m, 1.5 µ m, 1.8 µ m, 2 µ m, 2.2 µ m, 2.5 µ m, 2.8 µ m, 3 µ m, 4 µ m, 5 µ m, 6 µ m, 7 µ m, 8 µ m, 9 µ m or 10 µ m, etc.

[0135] It should be noted that the length of the short side of the phase domain described in the present disclosure refers to the minimum dimension in the direction passing through the center of the cross-sectional shape in different cross-sectional shapes of the phase domain. For example, when a phase domain at a certain position is cylindrical, the length of the short side of the phase domain at the position is the diameter of the cylinder; when a phase domain at a certain position is flaky, the length of the short side of the phase domain at the position is the thickness of the flake.

[0136] The sustained-release rate of the sustained-release carrier material in water ranges from 0.1 mg / L to 3 mg / L, for example, 0.2 mg / L, 0.5 mg / L, 0.8 mg / L, 1.0 mg / L, 1.5 mg / L, 2.0 mg / L, 2.5 mg / L, 2.8 mg / L, etc.

[0137] In the present disclosure, the test method for the dissolution rate comprises: preparing the sustained-release carrier material into samples with dimensions of 10 mm × 10 mm × 4 mm and recording the initial mass as m1; rinsing the samples with tap water at a flow rate of 2.5 L / min; taking out the samples, drying and weighing the samples to obtain the constant mass as m2 when the sample mass is constant; recording the total volume of the rinsing water as v; the dissolution rate is calculated according to the formula: Dissolution Rate = (m1-m2) / v.

[0138] When the sustained-release rate of the sustained-release carrier material provided in the present disclosure falls within the range defined herein, it can meet certain application requirements.

[0139] Preferably, the water-soluble phase is selected from water-soluble materials, and the processing temperature of the water-soluble materials ranges from 50 °C to 200 °C, for example, 70 °C, 80 °C, 100 °C, 120 °C, 150 °C, 180 °C, etc.

[0140] Preferably, the water-soluble phase comprises water-insoluble materials, and the processing temperature of the water-insoluble materials ranges from 50 °C to 300 °C, for example, 70 °C, 80 °C, 100 °C, 120 °C, 150 °C, 180 °C, 200 °C, 220 °C, 250 °C, 280 °C, etc.

[0141] The processing temperature refers to the processable temperature of the material. In a case that processing is performed using equipment such as a twin-screw extruder, it refers to the temperature at which the material can be processed, such as the glass transition temperature or melting point of the material, which will not be elaborated in the present disclosure. To prepare the sustained-release carrier material provided in the present disclosure, the present disclosure requires that the processing temperatures of the water-soluble phase and the water-insoluble phase should be matched.

[0142] Preferably, the water-soluble material is selected from one or more of polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, polyethylene oxide, polyacrylamide and polyvinylpyrrolidone.

[0143] Preferably, the water-insoluble material is selected from one or more of polyolefins, polyesters and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers. The tensile strength of the water-insoluble material ranges from 5 MPa to 100 MPa, for example, 10 MPa, 20 MPa, 40 MPa, 50 MPa, 80 MPa, etc., and the elongation at break ranges from 5% to 800%, for example, 50%, 100%, 200%, 300%, 400%, 500%, 600%, 800%, etc.

[0144] To ensure that the prepared sustained-release carrier is applicable, the water-insoluble material is required to have a certain level of mechanical strength. The design can also ensure that after the water-soluble phase is almost completely dissolved, the remaining carrier still maintains an integral structure with certain strength, thus facilitating operations such as collection and transfer.

[0145] Preferably, the water-soluble material is polyethylene oxide with a molecular weight ranging from 100,000 to 1,000,000; for example, it may be 120,000, 150,000, 180,000, 200,000, 220,000, 250,000, 280,000, 300,000, 320,000, 350,000, 380,000, 400,000, 420,000, 450,000, 480,000, 500,000, 550,000, 600,000, 650,000, 700,000, 750,000, 800,000, 850,000, 900,000 or 1,000,000, etc.

[0146] Preferably, the water-insoluble material is any one of low-density polyethylene, isotactic polypropylene, ethylene-octene block copolymer, polycaprolactone, poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) or ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. The tensile strength of the water-insoluble material ranges from 5 MPa to 50 MPa; for example, it may be 10 MPa, 15 MPa, 20 MPa, 25 MPa, 30 MPa, 35 MPa, 40 MPa, 45 MPa, etc., and the elongation at break ranges from 50% to 800%; for example, it may be 60%, 100%, 200%, 300%, 400%, 500%, 600%, 700%, 800%, etc.

[0147] In the present disclosure, the structure and sustained-release behavior of the sustained-release carrier material can be controlled by adjusting the types and parameters of the water-soluble materials and water-insoluble materials. The sustained-release behavior of the sustained-release carrier material is related to its continuity. When the continuity reaches 100%, it means that the water-soluble phase domains in the co-continuous structure can be completely dissolved. A co-continuous structure with 100% continuity is usually formed at a specific blending ratio, and the specific blending ratio mainly depends on factors such as processing conditions and the rheological properties of the blended components. Therefore, for different water-insoluble matrices and water-soluble materials, the range of blending ratios for forming a co-continuous structure with 100% continuity varies. In the present disclosure, controlling the factors within above ranges helps the water-soluble phase and water-insoluble phase to form a co-continuous structure, ensuring that the sustained-release carrier material has an appropriate sustained-release rate. The dissolution rate of the adjusted water-soluble material in water enables it to be well adapted to various application scenarios (such as washing machines, dishwashers and other equipment), exhibiting favorable sustained-release performance under different water flow rates in these scenarios, thus achieving the required service life for these applications.

[0148] In the present disclosure, the preparation method of above sustained-release carrier material is not limited specifically. As an exemplary preparation method, it may comprise the following steps: obtaining the sustained-release carrier material by blending the water-soluble phase material and the water-insoluble phase material.

[0149] The blending can be carried out using a twin-screw extruder or an internal mixer; the processing temperature can be selected according to the types of the water-soluble phase material and the water-insoluble phase material.

[0150] When a twin-screw extruder is adopted, the screw speed for the second blending can be 50 rpm ~ 150 rpm (e.g., 50 rpm, 60 rpm, 70 rpm, 80 rpm, 90 rpm, 100 rpm, 110 rpm, 120 rpm, 130 rpm, 140 rpm or 150 rpm, etc.), and the residence time can be 2 ~ 5 min (e.g., 2 min, 2.5 min, 3 min, 3.5 min, 4 min, 4.5 min or 5 min, etc.).

[0151] When an internal mixer is adopted, the rotation speed can be 50 rpm ~ 100 rpm (e.g., 50 rpm, 60 rpm, 70 rpm, 80 rpm, 90 rpm or 100 rpm, etc.), and the mixing time can be 3 ~ 10 min (e.g., 3 min, 3.5 min, 4 min, 4.5 min, 5 min, 5.5 min, 6 min, 6.5 min, 7 min, 7.5 min, 8 min, 8.5 min, 9 min, 9.5 min or 10 min, etc.).

[0152] In the present disclosure, the blending method has a certain impact on the size and structure of the water-soluble phase and water-insoluble phase. Controlling the blending process conditions within above ranges helps the water-soluble phase and water-insoluble phase to form a co-continuous structure with appropriate phase domain sizes.

[0153] On the other hand, the present disclosure provides the application of above sustained-release carrier material in the sustained release of functional materials.

[0154] The functional materials can be aromatherapy materials, detergents, scale inhibitors, bactericides, bacteriostats, water treatment materials, laundry treatment agents, color fixing agents, biofilm removers or colorants.

[0155] The bactericides comprise cationic bactericides or anionic bactericides; the bactericides and bacteriostats comprise natural extracts, organic bactericidal or bacteriostatic agents, or inorganic bactericidal or bacteriostatic agents; the water treatment materials comprise residual chlorine treatment materials; the laundry treatment agents comprise softeners, enzymes, etc. In a third aspect, the present disclosure provides an application of the sustained-release carrier material according to the first aspect in washing apparatus.

[0156] Preferably, the sustained-release carrier material is used in the aromatherapy module, detergent module, antiscale module, sterilization module, bacteriostasis module, water treatment module, laundry treatment module, color fixing module or dyeing module of the washing apparatus.

[0157] The sustained-release functional material prepared by using the sustained-release carrier material can be applied to washing apparatus, which can slowly release functional components during water injection, realizing simple and efficient sustained release of functional components. The sustained-release carrier material with a specific dissolution rate can be well adapted to the water volume conditions of conventional washing apparatus during a single washing cycle, releasing functional materials at an effective concentration and achieving a favorable expected service life. Within the expected service life, users can obtain the beneficial technical effects brought by the functional materials without frequent replacement, thus improving the user experience.

[0158] The sustained-release carrier material described in the present disclosure is further illustrated below through specific embodiments.Embodiment 1

[0159] The present embodiment provides a sustained-release carrier material, comprising a blended water-soluble phase and water-insoluble phase.

[0160] Both the water-soluble phase and the water-insoluble phase are continuous phases. After the sustained-release carrier material completes sustained release in water, more than 95% of the mass of the water-soluble phase dissolves in water, and less than 5% of the mass of the water-insoluble phase dissolves in water.

[0161] The water-soluble phase is a water-soluble material, and the water-insoluble phase is a water-insoluble material.

[0162] The mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is 50:50.

[0163] The water-soluble material is polyethylene oxide (manufactured by Lion Chemicals Co., Ltd., Germany, with a number-average molecular weight of 100,000), and the water-insoluble material is ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (model UE630, manufactured by Polymer Chemicals Co., Ltd., Taiwan, China, with a tensile strength of 17 MPa, an elongation at break of 700%, and a melt flow index of 1.5 g / 10min).

[0164] The preparation method of the sustained-release carrier material in the present embodiment comprises: (1) Drying the polyethylene oxide at a drying temperature of 50 °C for 6 h. (2) Blending the dried polyethylene oxide with the ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer using a twin-screw extruder. The operating temperatures of the twin-screw extruder are set as follows: Zone 1 at 80 °C, Zone 2 at 100 °C, Zone 3 at 100 °C, Zone 4 at 100 °C, Zone 5 at 100 °C, Zone 6 at 100 °C, and the die temperature at 100 °C. The screw speed is set at 50 rpm, and the material residence time is 3 min.

[0165] Air-cooling the blended mixture to below 50 °C, and then performing granulation to obtain the sustained-release carrier material.Embodiment 2

[0166] The present embodiment provides a sustained-release carrier material, which differs from embodiment 1 in the following aspects: The mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is 50:50.

[0167] The water-soluble material is polyethylene oxide (manufactured by Lion Chemicals Co., Ltd., Germany, with a number-average molecular weight of 300,000), and the water-insoluble material is low-density polyethylene (low-density polyethylene 2426H, manufactured by Maoming Petrochemical Company, with a tensile strength of 15 MPa, an elongation at break of 600%, and a number-average molecular weight of 90,000).

[0168] The preparation method of the sustained-release carrier material in the present embodiment comprises: Drying the polyethylene oxide at a drying temperature of 50 °C for a drying duration of 6 h.

[0169] Blending the dried polyethylene oxide with the low-density polyethylene using a twin-screw extruder. The operating temperatures of the twin-screw extruder are set as follows: Zone 1 at 80 °C, Zone 2 at 140 °C, Zone 3 at 170 °C, Zone 4 at 170 °C, Zone 5 at 170 °C, Zone 6 at 170 °C, and the die temperature at 160 °C. The screw speed is set at 50 rpm, and the material residence time is 3 min.

[0170] Air-cooling the blended mixture to below 50 °C, and then performing granulation to obtain the sustained-release carrier material.Embodiment 3

[0171] The present embodiment provides a sustained-release carrier material, which differs from embodiment 1 in the following aspects: The mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is 55:45.

[0172] The water-soluble material is polyethylene oxide (manufactured by Lion Chemicals Co., Ltd., Germany, with a number-average molecular weight of 100,000), and the water-insoluble material is polycaprolactone (model PCL6800, manufactured by Solvay Specialty Polymers USA, LLC, with a tensile strength of 33 MPa, an elongation at break of 650%, and a number-average molecular weight of 80,000).

[0173] The preparation method of the sustained-release carrier material in the present embodiment comprises: Drying the polyethylene oxide at a drying temperature of 50 °C for a drying duration of 6 h.

[0174] Blending the dried polyethylene oxide with the polycaprolactone using a twin-screw extruder. The operating temperatures of the twin-screw extruder are set as follows: Zone 1 at 60 °C, Zone 2 at 80 °C, Zone 3 at 80 °C, Zone 4 at 80 °C , Zone 5 at 85 °C, Zone 6 at 85 °C, and the die temperature at 75 °C. The screw speed is set at 50 rpm, and the material residence time is 3 min.

[0175] Air-cooling the blended mixture to below 50 °C, and then performing granulation to obtain the sustained-release carrier material.Embodiment 4

[0176] The present embodiment provides a sustained-release carrier material, which differs from embodiment 1 in the following aspects: The mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is 55:45.

[0177] The water-soluble material is polyethylene oxide (manufactured by Lion Chemicals Co., Ltd., Germany, with a number-average molecular weight of 100,000), and the water-insoluble material is ethylene-octene block copolymer (model POE6102, manufactured by ExxonMobil Corporation, with a tensile strength of 8 MPa, an elongation at break of 800%, and a melt flow index of 1.5 g / 10min).

[0178] The preparation method of the sustained-release carrier material in the present embodiment comprises: Drying the polyethylene oxide at a drying temperature of 50 °C for a drying duration of 6 h.

[0179] Blending the dried polyethylene oxide with the ethylene-octene block copolymer using a twin-screw extruder. The operating temperatures of the twin-screw extruder are set as follows: Zone 1 at 80 °C, Zone 2 at 110 °C, Zone 3 at 110 °C, Zone 4 at 110 °C, Zone 5 at 110 °C, Zone 6 at 110 °C, and the die temperature at 100 °C. The screw speed is set at 50 rpm, and the material residence time is 3 min.

[0180] Air-cooling the blended mixture to below 50 °C, and then performing granulation to obtain the sustained-release carrier material.Embodiment 5

[0181] The present embodiment provides a sustained-release carrier material, which differs from embodiment 1 in the following aspects: The mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is 55:45.

[0182] The water-soluble material is polyethylene oxide (manufactured by Lion Chemicals Co., Ltd., Germany, with a number-average molecular weight of 100,000), and the water-insoluble material is poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (model TH801T, manufactured by Xinjiang Lanshan Tunhe Co., Ltd., with a tensile strength of 13 MPa, an elongation at break of 400%, and a number-average molecular weight of 40,000).

[0183] The preparation method of the sustained-release carrier material in the present embodiment comprises: (1) Drying the polyethylene oxide at a drying temperature of 50 °C for a drying duration of 6 h. (2) Blending the dried polyethylene oxide with the poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) using a twin-screw extruder. The operating temperatures of the twin-screw extruder are set as follows: Zone 1 at 80 °C, Zone 2 at 110 °C, Zone 3 at 110 °C, Zone 4 at 110 °C, Zone 5 at 110 °C, Zone 6 at 110 °C, and the die temperature at 100 °C. The screw speed is set at 50 rpm, and the material residence time is 3 min.

[0184] Air-cooling the blended mixture to below 50 °C, and then performing granulation to obtain the sustained-release carrier material.Embodiment 6

[0185] The present embodiment provides a sustained-release carrier material, which differs from embodiment 1 in the following aspects: The mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is 60:40.

[0186] The water-soluble material is polyethylene oxide (manufactured by Lion Chemicals Co., Ltd., Germany, with a number-average molecular weight of 1,000,000), and the water-insoluble material is isotactic polypropylene (model T30S, manufactured by Zhong'an United Petrochemical Company, with a tensile strength of 35 MPa, an elongation at break of 20%, and a number-average molecular weight of 80,000).

[0187] The preparation method of the sustained-release carrier material in the present embodiment comprises: (1) Drying the polyethylene oxide at a drying temperature of 50 °C for a drying duration of 6 h. (2) Blending the dried polyethylene oxide with the isotactic polypropylene using a twin-screw extruder. The operating temperatures of the twin-screw extruder are set as follows: Zone 1 at 150 °C, Zone 2 at 160 °C, Zone 3 at 170 °C , Zone 4 at 170 °C, Zone 5 at 170 °C, Zone 6 at 170 °C, and the die temperature at 160 °C. The screw speed is set at 50 rpm, and the material residence time is 3 min.

[0188] Air-cooling the blended mixture to below 50 °C, and then performing granulation to obtain the sustained-release carrier material.Embodiment 7

[0189] The present embodiment provides a sustained-release carrier material, which differs from embodiment 2 in the following aspects: The mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is 60:40.

[0190] The water-soluble material is polyvinyl alcohol (model PVA-1799, manufactured by Anhui Wanwei Company, with a number-average molecular weight of 1,700), and the water-insoluble material is low-density polyethylene (low-density polyethylene 2426H, manufactured by Maoming Petrochemical Company, with a tensile strength of 15 MPa, an elongation at break of 600%, and a number-average molecular weight of 90,000).Embodiment 8

[0191] The embodiment provides a sustained-release carrier material, which differs from embodiment 2 in the following aspects: The mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is 40:60.

[0192] The water-soluble material is polyethylene glycol (polyethylene glycol-200, manufactured by Wuxi Yatai Chemical Union Company, with a number-average molecular weight of 200), and the water-insoluble material is low-density polyethylene (low-density polyethylene 2426H, manufactured by Maoming Petrochemical Company, with a tensile strength of 15 MPa, an elongation at break of 600%, and a number-average molecular weight of 90,000).Comparative Example 1

[0193] The present comparative example provides a sustained-release carrier material, which differs from embodiment 1 only in that the mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is 20:80.Comparative Example 2

[0194] The present comparative example provides a sustained-release carrier material, which differs from embodiment 1 only in that the mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is 80:20.Performance Testing

[0195] The properties of the sustained-release carrier materials provided in the above embodiments and Comparative Examples were tested respectively, with the test methods as follows: Tensile Strength and Elongation at Break: The tensile properties were tested using a universal tensile testing machine according to the standard GB / T 1040-2006, with a tensile rate of 50 mm / min.

[0196] Test Method for Dissolution Rate comprises: Preparing the solid aromatherapy material into samples with dimensions of 10 mm × 10 mm × 4 mm, and recording the initial mass as m1; Rinsing the samples with tap water at a flow rate of 2.5 L / min at room temperature; when the sample mass is constant, removing, drying and then weighing the samples to obtain the constant mass asm2; recording the total volume of the rinsing water as v. The dissolution rate is calculated according to the formula: Dissolution Rate = (m1-m2) / v.

[0197] The criterion for judging that the sample mass is constant is: the mass difference of the sample before and after rinsing for 1 hour is less than 0.01 g.

[0198] All samples must be dried in a blast drying oven at 60 °C before weighing, with the drying criterion that the mass difference of the sample before and after drying for 1 hour is less than 0.01 g.

[0199] Water-Soluble Phase Continuity: Preparing the solid aromatherapy material into samples with dimensions of 10 mm × 10 mm × 4 mm, and weighing them to obtain the initial mass m1. Immersing the samples in water at 30 °C until the mass no longer changes, then removing, drying, and weighing the samples to obtain the mass m2. The water-soluble phase continuity is calculated as follows: Water-Soluble Phase Continuity = Mass of Dissolved Water-Soluble Phase in sample / Theoretical Mass of Water-Soluble Phase, wherein the mass of the dissolved water-soluble phase = m1-m2.

[0200] Morphological Characterization: Observing the morphology of the sustained-release carrier material after immersion using a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

[0201] The results of the above tests are shown in Table 2 below. Table 2samplesTensile Strength (MPa)Elongation at Break (%)Water-Soluble Phase Continuity (%)Dissolution Rate (g / L)embodiment 18.7403.61000.0013embodiment 213.218.61000.0012embodiment 316.8376.81000.0025embodiment 47.6553.81000.0023embodiment 513.3583.6990.0017embodiment 611.810.3970.0018embodiment 710.49.61000.0026embodiment 89.98.91000.0027Comparative Example 15.1522.8330.00003Comparative Example 28.262.91000.079

[0202] From the test results in Table 2, it can be seen that the sustained-release carrier material provided in the present disclosure has a tensile strength of 5 MPa to 50 MPa, an elongation at break of 2% to 600%, a water-soluble phase continuity of over 97%, and a dissolution rate in water of 0.0001 g / L to 0.003 g / L.

[0203] Compared with embodiment 1, Comparative Example 1 has a low proportion of the water-soluble phase, resulting in a low water-soluble phase continuity of the sustained-release carrier material, which fails to form a co-continuous structure, making it difficult for the water-soluble phase to be completely released and leading to a slow release rate. In Comparative Example 2, the low proportion of the water-insoluble phase leads to an excessively high dissolution rate of the sustained-release carrier material and easy disintegration of the material.

[0204] A1. A sustained-release carrier material, characterized in that the sustained-release carrier material comprises a blended water-soluble phase and water-insoluble phase; the water-soluble phase is a water-soluble material; wherein the dissolution rate of the water-soluble material in water is 0.0001 g / L to 0.003 g / L.

[0205] A2. The sustained-release carrier material according to claim A1, characterized in that both the water-soluble phase and the water-insoluble phase are continuous phases.

[0206] A3. The sustained-release carrier material according to claim A1 or A2, characterized in that a length of a short side of a phase domain of the water-soluble phase is 100 nm to 10 µ m, and a length of a short side of a phase domain of the water-insoluble phase is 100 nm to 10 µ m.

[0207] A4. The sustained-release carrier material according to any one of claims A1 to A3, characterized in that the mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is (30-70):(30-70), preferably (40-60):(40-60).

[0208] A5. The sustained-release carrier material according to any one of claims A1 to A4, characterized in that the water-soluble material is selected from one or more of polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, polyethylene oxide, polyacrylamide and polyvinylpyrrolidone; Preferably, the molecular weight of the water-soluble material ranges from 100 to 1,000,000; Preferably, the molecular weight of the polyvinyl alcohol ranges from 800 to 5,000; Preferably, the molecular weight of the polyethylene glycol ranges from 100 to 4,000; Preferably, the molecular weight of the polyethylene oxide ranges from 50,000 to 1,000,000.

[0209] A6. The sustained-release carrier material according to any one of claims A1 to A5, characterized in that the water-insoluble material is a water-insoluble material.

[0210] A7. The sustained-release carrier material according to claim A6, characterized in that the water-insoluble material is selected from one or more of polyolefins, polyesters and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers; Preferably, the molecular weight of the water-insoluble material ranges from 20,000 to 300,000.

[0211] A8. The sustained-release carrier material according to any one of claims A1 to A7, characterized in that the water-soluble material is polyethylene oxide with a molecular weight of 100,000 to 1,000,000, polyvinyl alcohol with a molecular weight of 800 to 5,000, or polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 100 to 4,000; The water-insoluble material is low-density polyethylene with a molecular weight of 30,000 to 100,000, isotactic polypropylene with a molecular weight of 80,000 to 150,000, ethylene-octene block copolymer with a molecular weight of 50,000 to 200,000, polycaprolactone with a molecular weight of 30,000 to 100,000, poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) with a molecular weight of 20,000 to 100,000, or ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer with a molecular weight of 30,000 to 100,000; The mass ratio of the water-soluble phase to the water-insoluble phase is (40-60):(40-60).

[0212] A9. An application of the sustained-release carrier material according to any one of claims A1 to A8 in the sustained release of functional materials; Preferably, the functional materials are aromatherapy materials, detergents, scale inhibitors, bactericides, bacteriostats, water treatment materials, laundry treatment agents, color fixing agents, biofilm removers, or colorants.

[0213] A10. An application of the sustained-release carrier material according to any one of claims A1 to A8 in washing apparatus; Preferably, the sustained-release carrier material is used in the aromatherapy module, detergent module, antiscale module, sterilization module, bacteriostasis module, water treatment module, laundry treatment module, color fixing module, or dyeing module of the washing apparatus.

[0214] B1. A sustained-release carrier material, characterized in that the sustained-release carrier material comprises a blended water-soluble phase and water-insoluble phase; the sustained-release carrier material has a tensile strength of 5 MPa to 50 MPa, an elongation at break of 8% to 800%, and a continuity of the water-soluble phase is over 95%.

[0215] B2. The sustained-release carrier material according to claim B1, characterized in that after the sustained-release carrier material completes sustained release in water, more than 95% of the mass of the water-soluble phase dissolves in water, and less than 5% of the mass of the water-insoluble phase disperses in water.

[0216] B3. The sustained-release carrier material according to claim B1 or B2, characterized in that a length of a short side of a phase domain of the water-soluble phase is 100 nm to 10 µ m, and a length of a short side of a phase domain of the water-insoluble phase is 100 nm to 10 µ m; and / or a sustained-release rate of the sustained-release carrier material in water is 0.1 to 3 mg / L.

[0217] B4. The sustained-release carrier material according to any one of claims B1 to B3, characterized in that the water-soluble phase is selected from water-soluble materials, and a processing temperature of the water-soluble materials is 50 to 200 °C

[0218] B5. The sustained-release carrier material according to any one of claims B1 to B4, characterized in that the water-soluble phase comprises a water-insoluble material, and a processing temperature of the water-insoluble phase is 50 to 300 °C

[0219] B6. The sustained-release carrier material according to any one of claims B1 to B5, characterized in that the water-soluble material is selected from one or more of polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, polyethylene oxide, polyacrylamide, and polyvinylpyrrolidone.

[0220] B7. The sustained-release carrier material according to any one of claims B1 to B6, characterized in that the water-insoluble material is selected from one or more of polyolefins, polyesters, and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers; the water-insoluble material has a tensile strength of 5 MPa to 100 MPa and an elongation at break of 5% to 800%.

[0221] B8. The sustained-release carrier material according to any one of claims B1 to B7, characterized in that the water-soluble material is polyethylene oxide with a molecular weight of 100,000 to 1,000,000; and / or, the water-insoluble material is any one of low-density polyethylene, isotactic polypropylene, ethylene-octene block copolymer, polycaprolactone, poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate), or ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer; the water-insoluble material has a tensile strength of 5 MPa to 50 MPa and an elongation at break of 50% to 800%.

[0222] B9. An application of the sustained-release carrier material according to any one of claims B1 to B8 in the sustained release of functional materials; Preferably, the functional materials are aromatherapy materials, detergents, scale inhibitors, bactericides, bacteriostats, water treatment materials, laundry treatment agents, color fixing agents, biofilm removers, or colorants.

[0223] B 10. An application of the sustained-release carrier material according to any one of claims B1 to B8 in washing apparatus; Preferably, the sustained-release carrier material is used in the aromatherapy module, detergent module, antiscale module, sterilization module, bacteriostasis module, water treatment module, laundry treatment module, color fixing module, or dyeing module of the washing apparatus.Industrial Applicability

[0224] The sustained-release functional material disclosed in the present disclosure exhibits significant application value in laundry washing and care, and has strong industrial applicability.

Claims

1. A sustained-release functional material, the sustained-release functional material comprising an insoluble substrate and a functional substance, wherein a minimum processing temperature of the insoluble substrate is lower than a maximum failure temperature of the functional substance.

2. The sustained-release functional material according to claim 1, wherein the sustained-release functional material further comprises a water-soluble substrate, the functional substance is loaded on the water-soluble substrate, and a minimum processing temperature of the water-soluble substrate is lower than the maximum failure temperature of the functional substance.

3. The sustained-release functional material according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the functional substance is an inorganic functional substance, and the failure temperature is a decomposition temperature of the inorganic functional substance; and / or, the functional substance is an organic compound functional substance, and the failure temperature is a decomposition temperature or an inactivation temperature of the organic compound functional substance.

4. The sustained-release functional material according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the insoluble substrate is a water-insoluble polymer, and the minimum processing temperature of the insoluble substrate is a glass transition temperature of the water-insoluble polymer.

5. The sustained-release functional material according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the water-soluble substrate is a water-soluble polymer, and the processing temperature of the water-soluble substrate is a glass transition temperature of the water-soluble polymer.

6. The sustained-release functional material according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein a preparation method of the sustained-release functional material comprises: loading the functional substance onto the water-soluble substrate, and then obtaining the sustained-release functional material by blending the water-soluble substrate with the insoluble substrate at a processing temperature, wherein, the minimum processing temperature of the water-soluble substrate and the insoluble substrate is less than or equal to the processing temperature, and the processing temperature is less than or equal to the maximum failure temperature of the functional substance, preferably, the processing temperature is a median temperature between the minimum processing temperature and the maximum failure temperature.

7. The sustained-release functional material according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the water-soluble substrate and the functional substance loaded on the water-soluble substrate form a water-soluble phase in a sustained-release carrier structure, and the water-soluble phase is a continuous phase; and / or, the insoluble substrate forms a water-insoluble phase in the sustained-release carrier structure, and the water-insoluble phase is a continuous phase.

8. The sustained-release functional material according to claim 7, wherein a length of a short side of a phase region of the water-soluble phase is in a range of 100 nm to 10 µm, and a length of a short side of a phase region of the water-insoluble phase is in a range of 100 nm to 10 µm.

9. The sustained-release functional material according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the functional substance is selected from any one or a combination of at least two of aromatherapy materials, detergents, scale inhibitors, bactericides, bacteriostats, water treatment materials, laundry treatment agents, color fixatives, biofilm removers or colorants.

10. An application of a sustained-release functional material according to any one of claims 1 to 9 in a washing apparatus; wherein, the sustained-release functional material is used in an aromatherapy module, a washing module, a scale inhibition module, a sterilization module, a bacteriostasis module, a water treatment module, a laundry treatment module, a color fixation module or a coloring module of the washing apparatus.

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