Active treatment formulations and skin treatment articles containing active treatment formulations applied to water-dispersible and / or water-soluble core substrates.

Abstract

An active treatment formulation for application to a substrate, and a skin treatment article comprising the active treatment formulation applied to the substrate. The active treatment formulation comprises an activator and a water-soluble binder. The activator may be mixed with an absorbent powder, encapsulated in solid form by a encapsulating material, or chemically modified in solid form. In exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulation for application to a substrate comprises an activator mixed with or combined with a water-soluble binder to form the active treatment formulation.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Cross-references to related applications This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 497,525, filed on 21 April 2023, the entire disclosure of which is thus incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] field This disclosure generally relates to water-dispersible and / or water-soluble skin treatment articles comprising an active treatment formulation, and water-dispersible and / or water-soluble substrates configured to contain the active treatment formulation, such as water-dispersible or water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrates and / or foam substrates. More specifically, this disclosure relates to an active treatment formulation suitable for application to water-dispersible or water-soluble substrates, for example, one or more water-dispersible or water-soluble substrates that can be bonded to one or more surfaces of such substrates. [Background technology]

[0003] background Facial masks are typically applied to the user's face to apply active dermatological agents. Conventional facial masks, made from paper-based substrates, are typically rough to the touch, and due to their rigid or inflexible construction, they do not make close contact with the user's face to maintain contact between the active dermatological agent and the user's skin. Furthermore, if conventional facial masks become wet during use, these masks may lose the structure and integrity necessary to keep the mask properly positioned on the user's face and to properly deliver the active dermatological agent to its designated location on the user's face. As a result, the active dermatological agent may migrate or move from the facial mask and enter the user's eyes, nostrils, and / or mouth, potentially causing unpleasant or undesirable effects. For example, caustic or acidic components may flow into the user's eyes, nostrils, and / or mouth, causing irritation and / or pain to the skin and / or membranes.

[0004] Other conventional facial masks made from nonwoven fabric substrates can also have an unpleasant texture. For example, at least some conventional facial masks made from nonwoven fabric substrates configured to carry moisturizing oils do not fully absorb the moisturizing oils, resulting in an undesirable oily feel or texture when the user handles the facial mask. Furthermore, because conventional nonwoven facial masks dissolve in water, they may have an undesirable sticky feel or texture, which can also contribute to an unpleasant consumer experience. (0002) Therefore, in the art there is a need for a skin treatment article that is easily manufactured, exhibits a substantially dry and pleasant touch or feel to enhance the consumer experience, and has a structure that maintains its structure and integrity so that the facial mask remains properly positioned on the user's face. Additionally, in the art there is a need for a facial mask containing a skin treatment formulation that is easily applied to the user's face and easily removed to deliver the active ingredients, while avoiding user frustration when the user places the facial mask on their face and / or when the user finds that some of the skin treatment formulation remains in the packaging after the user removes the facial mask. Furthermore, in the art there is a need for a nonwoven facial mask that substantially dissolves or disintegrates after the application of water to provide consumers with a new experience and waste-free results. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0005] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of an exemplary water-dispersible skin treatment article, which is a facial mask according to an exemplary embodiment, and in which one or more active treatment formulations are contained in one or more regions of the facial mask.

[0006] [Figure 2]Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary water-dispersible skin treatment article along the cutting line AA shown in Figure 1, according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0007] [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another exemplary water-dispersible skin treatment article according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0008] [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a perspective view of an exemplary secondary packaging material suitable for storing multiple water-dispersible or water-soluble skin treatment articles, according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0009] [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an exemplary method for producing a water-dispersible skin treatment article according to an exemplary embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Detailed explanation In exemplary embodiments described herein, a water-dispersible and / or water-soluble skin treatment article comprises one or more water-dispersible substrates and / or one or more water-soluble core substrates, for example, one or more water-dispersible nonwoven fabric substrates and / or one or more water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrates, which have precise dosages for delivering an active treatment formulation, for example, one or more treatment agents, to the user's skin for delivering cosmetics and / or one or more skin therapeutic agents.

[0011] In exemplary embodiments, an active treatment formulation for application to a substrate comprises an activator mixed or combined with a water-soluble binder to form the active treatment formulation. In certain embodiments, an absorbent powder is mixed or combined with an activator to form an active mixture, which is then mixed or combined with a water-soluble binder to form the active treatment formulation. In exemplary embodiments, the absorbent powder constitutes 5 wt.% to 40 wt.% of the active treatment formulation, the activator constitutes 10 wt.% to 60 wt.% of the active treatment formulation, and the water-soluble binder constitutes 10 wt.% to 50 wt.% of the active treatment formulation. In exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulation exists in a solid form with a water content of less than 10%. In certain embodiments, the water-soluble binder is configured to bind the active treatment formulation to the surface of the substrate without dissolving the substrate. In certain examples, the active treatment formulation may include a humectant such as glycerin, a surfactant, and / or a solvent.

[0012] In exemplary embodiments, a water-soluble skin treatment article comprises a water-soluble core substrate containing a water-soluble resin. The water-soluble core substrate has one or more areas or regions configured to contain one or more active treatment formulations, such as cosmetics or skin treatment formulations. For example, the water-soluble core substrate may have a first region containing a first active treatment formulation and a second region containing a second active treatment formulation that is the same as or different from the first active treatment formulation.

[0013] When a water-soluble core substrate is in contact with water having a temperature higher than 10°C or between 30°C and 40°C for a certain period of time of 30 to 300 seconds (or 30 to 600 seconds, or 30 to 900 seconds), the water-soluble core substrate becomes soluble in order to release at least one of one or more active treatment formulations, for example, at least one of a first active treatment formulation or a second active treatment formulation. In exemplary embodiments, the water-dispersible core substrate is cold-water dispersible, or the water-soluble core substrate is cold-water soluble, and tends to close skin pores, which may be advantageous for polishing skin pores and skin surface, for example, during an exfoliation process. Alternatively, the water-dispersible core substrate is warm-water dispersible, or the water-soluble substrate is warm-water soluble, and tends to open skin pores, which may be advantageous for delivering active treatment formulations to pores and skin, for example, during an acne treatment process.

[0014] In exemplary embodiments, the water-dispersible skin treatment article is initially dry, i.e., dry during storage and before use. In exemplary embodiments, when the water-dispersible core substrate is in contact with water at a desired temperature for a suitable period, e.g., 300 seconds, the nonwoven substrate transforms into a hydrogel. In certain exemplary embodiments, when the water-soluble core substrate dissolves, a film layer is formed to facilitate the removal of any residual components of the water-soluble skin treatment article after use. In certain embodiments, the water-dispersible or water-soluble skin treatment article includes a film layer, e.g., a water-dispersible or water-soluble film, bonded to the water-dispersible or water-soluble core substrate. The water-dispersible or water-soluble film may contain additional active treatment formulations for delivery to the user's skin and / or can be used to facilitate the removal of any residual components of the water-dispersible or water-soluble skin treatment article after use.

[0015] In exemplary embodiments, the skin treatment article is configured to become at least water-dispersible or water-soluble after contact with water for a certain period of time. The water-dispersible or water-soluble skin treatment articles described herein are initially provided in a substantially dry or solid state, and water is added or applied before or during use to activate the skin treatment article. Before water is added or applied, such a substantially dry or substantially solid skin treatment article may not contain water or solvent, or may contain less than 10 wt.% (e.g., less than 5 wt.%) of water or solvent. In exemplary embodiments, the terms “substantially dry,” “substantially solid,” “dry,” or “solid” may refer to a skin treatment article that does not contain water or solvent, or contains less than 10 wt.% (e.g., less than 5 wt.%) of water or solvent.

[0016] In exemplary embodiments, the core substrate comprises a resin (i.e., a polymer) and may be water-dispersible or water-soluble. For example, the core substrate comprises at least one nonwoven fabric substrate comprising a plurality of fibers containing a resin selected from at least one of water-dispersible resins or water-soluble resins. In addition to nonwoven fabric substrates, the substrate may be a foam substrate or a film substrate. The resin may be any suitable polymer, or may contain one or more such polymers. For example, in exemplary embodiments, the resin is a polymer containing a vinyl alcohol moiety. “Polymer containing a vinyl alcohol moiety” or “PVOH polymer” includes polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) homopolymers, polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) copolymers, or combinations thereof. For example, the polyvinyl alcohol copolymer is, in some embodiments, a copolymer of vinyl acetate and vinyl alcohol. Such a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer may be an anionically modified copolymer, which may be a copolymer of vinyl acetate and vinyl alcohol further comprising additional groups such as carboxylates, sulfonates, or combinations thereof. Such a polymer containing at least one of a vinyl acetate moiety or a vinyl alcohol moiety may also contain additional polymers in the blend, for example. In an exemplary embodiment, a water-dispersible skin treatment article is configured to deliver a cosmetic or dermatological therapeutic agent to the user's skin. The water-dispersible skin treatment article comprises a water-dispersible core substrate containing a water-dispersible resin.The water-dispersible core substrate comprises a first region containing a first active treatment formulation and a second region containing a second active treatment formulation. When the water-dispersible core substrate comes into contact with water having a first temperature, e.g., water at 10°C or water at a temperature of 40°C or lower, the water-dispersible core substrate is activated, and the first active treatment formulation and / or the second active treatment formulation are released from the water-dispersible core substrate, delivering the first active treatment formulation and / or the second active treatment formulation to the user's skin. When the water-dispersible core substrate comes into contact with water having a second temperature equal to or higher than the first temperature, e.g., water at or higher than 40°C, for a certain period of time of 30 to 300 seconds (or 30 to 600 seconds, or 30 to 900 seconds), the water-dispersible core substrate becomes dispersible according to MSTM-205.

[0017] In other exemplary embodiments, a water-soluble skin treatment article is configured to deliver a cosmetic or dermatological therapeutic agent to the user's skin. The water-soluble skin treatment article comprises a water-soluble core substrate containing a water-soluble resin. The water-soluble core substrate comprises a first region containing a first active treatment formulation and a second region containing a second active treatment formulation. When the water-soluble core substrate comes into contact with water having a first temperature, e.g., water at 10°C or water at 40°C or lower, the water-soluble core substrate is activated, and the first active treatment formulation and / or the second active treatment formulation are released from the water-soluble core substrate, delivering the first active treatment formulation and / or the second active treatment formulation to the user's skin. When the water-soluble core substrate comes into contact with water having a second temperature equal to or higher than the first temperature, e.g., water at or higher than 40°C, for a certain period of time of 30 to 300 seconds (or 30 to 600 seconds, or 30 to 900 seconds), the water-soluble core substrate becomes soluble according to MSTM-205.

[0018] In this specification, a water-dispersible or water-soluble skin treatment article is described as a water-dispersible or water-soluble nonwoven fabric in the form of a facial mask configured to deliver, for example, a release, one or more active treatment formulations to a desired location on the user's facial skin, by containing one or more active treatment formulations in one or more areas or regions of the facial mask. However, in other exemplary embodiments, the water-dispersible or water-soluble skin treatment articles described herein are suitable for delivering active treatment formulations or other skin wellness formulations to, for example, other locations on the user's body skin. Furthermore, water-dispersible or water-soluble skin treatment articles may take forms other than facial masks, including, but are not limited to, wipes, sheets, pads, sachets, or strips.

[0019] In exemplary embodiments, the water-dispersible or water-soluble skin treatment article is in the form of a water-dispersible or water-soluble facial mask made from a suitable water-dispersible or water-soluble core substrate, such as a water-dispersible nonwoven fabric substrate or a water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate. Before use, the water-dispersible or water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate is substantially planar, but when wetted with water before or during use, it becomes moldable to conform to the contours of the user's body, for example, to the contours of the skin surface of the user's face. The water-dispersible or water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate includes openings for alignment with the user's eyes, nose, and mouth, respectively, to facilitate proper placement of the facial mask on the user's face. In certain embodiments, a first active treatment formulation for treating wrinkles, for example, is contained on or within a first area of ​​the water-dispersible or water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate and is positioned relative to the user's eyes, for example, to contact the skin around and / or below each of the user's eyes. Similarly, a second region of the water-dispersible or water-soluble nonwoven fabric base may be positioned toward the user's forehead to contact the user's skin, for example, on the user's forehead and / or the user's nasal bridge, and may contain, for example, a first active treatment formulation for treating wrinkles and / or a second treatment formulation for treating acne. Additionally or alternatively, a third region of the water-dispersible or water-soluble nonwoven fabric base may be positioned toward one or both of the user's cheeks and / or the user's chin to contact the user's skin, for example, around the user's cheekbones and / or chin, and may contain, for example, a second active treatment formulation for treating acne and / or a different active treatment formulation for providing additional skin wellness formulations to the user's skin. In exemplary embodiments, each of the first region, the second region, and the third region forms at least a portion of the facial mask. In certain embodiments, one or more of the first region, the second region, or the third region may be separated from the other regions of the facial mask before or during use.

[0020] In exemplary embodiments, the water-dispersible or water-soluble core substrate, due to its high hygroscopic properties, exists as a gel-like formulation during use, providing high moisturizing and pleasantly soft effects. Additionally, the gel-like formulation effectively maintains the structure and proper placement of the facial mask on the user's face, while keeping the active treatment formulation in the appropriate position to contact the desired area of ​​the user's face during use. Furthermore, in exemplary embodiments where the water-soluble core substrate is made from a PVOH resin, the chemical properties of the water-soluble core substrate, particularly the presence of PVOH, provide an emollient effect or benefit to the skin treatment process.

[0021] In exemplary embodiments, when the water-soluble core substrate is in contact with water having a temperature above 10°C or a temperature between 30°C and 40°C, the water-soluble core substrate becomes soluble to release an active treatment formulation. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble core substrate includes, for example, a water-soluble polymer such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) copolymer and / or a starch derivative, or a blend thereof with other water-dispersible polymers that have high biodegradability or can be composted or recycled.

[0022] In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble core substrate is a water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate made from a PVOH resin such as a PVOH polymer. During use, the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate dissolves into a gel-like substrate that provides a soft and comfortable feel, while maintaining the structure and integrity of the nonwoven fabric substrate and facilitating the facial mask to remain properly positioned on the user's face. In exemplary embodiments, the gel-like substrate can be improved by adjusting, for example, the degree of hydrolysis of the PVOH copolymer and / or the elongation or stretching of the fibers to cause swelling and adsorption of the fibers.

[0023] A water-dispersible skin treatment article, more specifically, in exemplary embodiments, a water-dispersible or water-soluble core substrate, is configured to contain one or more active treatment formulations for delivering a cosmetic or dermatological therapeutic agent to the user's skin. For example, the active treatment formulations may include, but are not limited to, hyaluronic acid, aloe, chamomile extract, lactic acid, citric acid, hydrolyzed collagen, polysaccharides, peptides, surfactants, e.g., surfactants made from polysaccharides, or foaming agents, or any suitable combination thereof. Other suitable active treatment formulations may include ceramides, glycolic acid and other alpha-hydroxy acids, amino acids, peptides, activated charcoal, chemical and physical sunscreen components, minerals (e.g., Zn), avobenzone, antioxidants, activators, e.g., caffeine, ginseng, taurine, retinol, retinoic acid, niacinamide, salicylic acid, lactic acid, and / or azelaic acid. In exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulation is placed on or coated onto one or more surfaces of a water-soluble core substrate, or embedded in and / or adhered to the water-soluble core substrate. The water-soluble core substrate may include a single layer, for example, a single-layer nonwoven core substrate, or it may include multiple layers, for example, one or more layers of water-soluble nonwoven core substrates, or sheets of nonwoven core substrates folded or cut and stacked in a serpentine arrangement to form layers in which the active treatment formulation is placed between adjacent layers.

[0024] In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble core substrate contains an active treatment formulation, and upon contact with water at a suitable temperature, the water-soluble core substrate exhibits a degree of shrinkage of 0.5% to 65%. In exemplary embodiments, upon contact with water at a low temperature of 5°C to 10°C, the core substrate becomes dispersible, i.e., disintegrates, releasing the active treatment formulation. In exemplary embodiments, upon contact with water at a temperature higher than 40°C, the water-soluble core substrate becomes soluble, i.e., dissolves, releasing the active treatment formulation.

[0025] In exemplary embodiments, the base material in the skin treatment article is hydrophilic. The water-soluble binder is hydrophilic. The active treatment formulation may be hydrophobic or hydrophilic. In certain embodiments, the surface to which the active treatment formulation is applied, for example, bonded, does not exhibit, and is not perceived, the oily or wet feeling to the user that may be a problem with conventional treatment formulations.

[0026] In exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulation comprises an absorbent powder as described herein. In alternative exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulation further comprises a encapsulating material, and the activator is encapsulated by the encapsulating material to form a solid mixture of the activator and the encapsulating material. In certain exemplary embodiments, hemp seed oil is encapsulated in a gelatin / gum arabic (GA) polymer or another suitable encapsulating material by a complex coacervation process. Other suitable encapsulating materials include, but are not limited to, chitosan / gum arabic (AG), alginate, chitosan, ethylcellulose, and / or polymethyl methacrylate. In alternative exemplary embodiments, the activator is chemically modified to be in a solid form.

[0027] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term “water-dispersible” means any nonwoven substrate (or nonwoven web), foam substrate, film, or laminate that, when immersed in water at a specific temperature, physically disintegrates into smaller components. These smaller components may or may not be visible to the naked eye, may or may not remain suspended in water, and may or may not ultimately dissolve. In exemplary embodiments, such nonwoven substrates (or nonwoven webs), foam substrates, films, or laminates have a disintegration time of 900 seconds or less, or more specifically 600 seconds or less, or more specifically 300 seconds or less, at a specific temperature as determined according to MSTM-205 as described herein. In exemplary embodiments where the dispersion temperature is not specified, the nonwoven substrate, foam substrate, film, or laminate disintegrates in 300 seconds or less at a temperature of about 100°C or less, according to MSTM-205. The decay time may be 200 seconds or longer, 100 seconds or longer, 60 seconds or longer, or 30 seconds or longer at temperatures of approximately 80°C, approximately 70°C, approximately 60°C, approximately 50°C, approximately 40°C, approximately 20°C, or approximately 10°C, as required, according to MSTM-205. In alternative exemplary embodiments where the dispersion temperature is not specified, the nonwoven substrate, foam substrate, film, or laminate decays in 300 seconds or less at temperatures of approximately 100°C or less, according to MSTM-205. The decay time may be 200 seconds or less, 100 seconds or less, 60 seconds or less, or 30 seconds or less at temperatures of approximately 80°C, approximately 70°C, approximately 60°C, approximately 50°C, approximately 40°C, approximately 20°C, or approximately 10°C, as required, according to MSTM-205. For example, such dispersion parameters may be characteristic of nonwoven fabric substrates, foam substrates, films, or laminates having a thickness of 6 millimeters (mm or mil) (approximately 152 microns (μm)).As described herein, in exemplary embodiments, the disintegration time of the nonwoven fabric substrate, foam substrate, film, or laminate may be longer than a minimum such as 30 seconds, so that the resulting article, for example, a facial mask, can be adequately applied to the user's face, for example, and when the article is brought into contact with water, there is a suitable time during application for the article to function as intended, for example, to deliver one or more active treatment formulations to the user's skin and provide the desired application benefits. In exemplary embodiments, a nonwoven substrate (or nonwoven web), foam substrate, film, or laminate may have a disintegration time between, for example, 30 to 900 seconds, 30 to 600 seconds, 30 to 300 seconds, 60 to 900 seconds, 60 to 600 seconds, or 60 to 300 seconds, within a preferred range of temperatures at, for example, about 80°C, about 70°C, about 60°C, about 50°C, about 40°C, about 20°C, or about 10°C, according to MSTM-205.

[0028] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term “water-soluble” means any nonwoven substrate (or nonwoven web), foam substrate, film, or laminate having a dissolution time of 900 seconds or less, particularly 600 seconds or less, or more specifically 300 seconds or less, at a given temperature, as determined in exemplary embodiments according to MSTM-205 as described herein. The dissolution time may depend at least in part on one or more active treatment formulations used on the substrate, film, laminate, or article, and / or the desired application process, as described herein. In addition, in exemplary embodiments, nonwoven fabric substrates (or nonwoven webs), foam substrates, films, or laminates may have dissolution times within a preferred range at temperatures of about 80°C, about 70°C, about 60°C, about 50°C, about 40°C, about 20°C, or about 10°C, for example, between 30 seconds and 900 seconds, between 30 seconds and 600 seconds, between 30 seconds and 300 seconds, between 60 seconds and 900 seconds, between 60 seconds and 600 seconds, or between 60 seconds and 300 seconds, according to MSTM-205. In exemplary embodiments, the dissolution time of the nonwoven fabric substrate, foam substrate, film, or laminate may be 900 seconds or less, 600 seconds or less, 200 seconds or less, 100 seconds or less, 60 seconds or less, or 30 seconds or less at temperatures of approximately 80°C, approximately 70°C, approximately 60°C, approximately 50°C, approximately 40°C, approximately 20°C, or approximately 10°C, as required, according to MSTM-205. As described herein, in exemplary embodiments, the dissolution time of the nonwoven fabric substrate, foam substrate, film, or laminate may be longer than the minimum of 30 seconds, so that the resulting article, for example, a facial mask, can be adequately applied to the user's face, for example, and when the article is brought into contact with water, there is a suitable time during application for the article to function as intended, for example, to deliver one or more active treatment formulations to the user's skin and provide the desired application benefits. In exemplary embodiments where the dissolution temperature is not specified, the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate, foam substrate, film, or laminate has a dissolution time of 300 seconds or less at a temperature of about 80°C or less.In exemplary embodiments, “water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate” or “water-soluble nonwoven fabric web” means that a nonwoven fabric substrate with a thickness of 1.5 mil (approximately 38 μm) dissolves in 300 seconds or less at a temperature of 80°C or less, according to MSTM-205. For example, a water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate with a thickness of 1.5 mil (approximately 38 μm) may have a dissolution time of 300 seconds or less, 200 seconds or less, 100 seconds or less, or 60 seconds or less at a temperature of approximately 70°C, approximately 60°C, approximately 50°C, approximately 40°C, approximately 30°C, approximately 20°C, or approximately 10°C, according to MSTM-205.

[0029] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term “cold water soluble” refers to any water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate, foam substrate, film, or laminate having a dissolution time of 300 seconds or less at temperatures in the range of about 10°C to about 20°C, as determined according to MSTM-205. For example, the dissolution time of a cold water soluble nonwoven fabric substrate, foam substrate, film, or laminate may be 200 seconds or less, 100 seconds or less, 60 seconds or less, or 30 seconds at temperatures in the range of about 10°C to about 20°C, as may be determined according to MSTM-205. In exemplary embodiments, “cold water soluble nonwoven fabric substrate” or “cold water soluble nonwoven web” means a nonwoven fabric substrate with a thickness of 1.5 mil (about 38 μm) that dissolves in 300 seconds or less at temperatures of 20°C or less, according to MSTM-205. For example, a cold-water soluble nonwoven fabric substrate with a thickness of 1.5 mil (approximately 38 μm) may have a dissolution time of 300 seconds or less, 200 seconds or less, 100 seconds or less, 60 seconds or less, or 30 seconds or less at a temperature of approximately 20°C or approximately 10°C, according to MSTM-205.

[0030] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term “hot water-soluble” refers to any water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate, foam substrate, film, or laminate having a dissolution time of 300 seconds or less at temperatures higher than about 20°C, for example, in the range of about 21°C to about 80°C, as determined according to MSTM-205. For example, the dissolution time for a hot water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate, foam substrate, film, or laminate may be 200 seconds or less, 100 seconds or less, 60 seconds or less, or 30 seconds at temperatures in the range of approximately 21°C to 80°C, 25°C to 80°C, 25°C to 60°C, 30°C to 60°C, 25°C to 45°C, 30°C to 45°C, or 25°C to 43°C, 30°C to 43°C, 25°C to 40°C, or 30°C to 40°C, depending on the circumstances. In exemplary embodiments, “hot water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate” or “hot water-soluble nonwoven web” means that a nonwoven fabric substrate with a thickness of 1.5 mil (approximately 38 μm) dissolves for 300 seconds or longer at a temperature of approximately 21°C or higher, depending on the circumstances, according to MSTM-205. For example, a water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate with a thickness of 1.5 mil (approximately 38 μm) may have a dissolution time of 300 seconds or less, 200 seconds or less, 100 seconds or less, 60 seconds or less, or 30 seconds at temperatures of approximately 80°C, 70°C, 60°C, 50°C, 40°C, 30°C, 25°C, or 21°C, according to MSTM-205. In exemplary embodiments, a hot water-soluble substrate such as a "hot water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate" or "hot water-soluble nonwoven fabric web" remains stable when in contact with water having a temperature lower than its hot water solubility temperature, for example, not dissolving, but becomes soluble when in contact with water having a temperature equal to its hot water solubility temperature for a suitable dissolution time, for example, in the range of 30 seconds to approximately 300 seconds, for example, dissolving.For example, in an exemplary embodiment, a hot water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate becomes soluble according to MSTM-205 when in contact with water at a temperature of 40°C for 300 seconds or less (or 600 seconds or less, or 900 seconds or less), but the hot water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate remains stable even when in contact with water at a temperature below 40°C or with water at a temperature of 40°C for less than 300 seconds.

[0031] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term “nonwoven web” refers to a web or sheet comprising, consisting of, or essentially comprising fibers that are arranged relative to one another and bonded together (e.g., by a carding process). Thus, the term “nonwoven web” can be considered an abbreviation for a nonwoven fiber-based web. Furthermore, as used herein, “nonwoven web” includes any structure comprising a nonwoven web or sheet, including, for example, a nonwoven web or sheet having a laminated film on its surface. Methods for preparing nonwoven webs from fibers are well known in the art, as described, for example, in the Nonwoven Fabrics Handbook, created by Ian Butler, edited by Subhash Batra et al., and printed by Design in 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term “film” refers to a continuous film or sheet prepared, for example, by a casting or extrusion process.

[0032] As used herein, “multiple fibers” may include a single fiber type or two or more different fiber types. In exemplary embodiments where multiple fibers include two or more different fiber types, each fiber type may generally be present in any amount, for example, about 0.5 wt.% to about 99.5 wt.% of the total weight of the multiple fibers. In exemplary embodiments where multiple fibers consist of a single fiber type, the multiple fibers substantially do not include a second or more fiber type. If multiple fibers include less than about 0.5 wt.% of a second or more fiber type, the multiple fibers substantially do not include a second or more fiber type. Generally, differences between fiber types may be differences in fiber length-to-diameter ratio (L / D), tenacity, shape, stiffness, elasticity, solubility, melting point, glass transition temperature (Tg), chemical composition, color, or combinations thereof.

[0033] As used herein, the terms “resin” and “polymer” should be considered interchangeable. In certain embodiments, the terms resin and polymer are used to refer to a polymer combined with one or more additional polymers as needed, and to refer to a single type of polymer, respectively. For example, a resin may include two or more polymers.

[0034] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term “skin treatment” is understood to include any suitable treatment performed on the user’s skin by applying the formulation to the surface of the user’s skin and / or bringing the formulation into contact with the user’s skin for the purpose of one or more of the following: cleansing, makeup, and / or skin treatment. In exemplary embodiments, the treatment is performed to alter, for example, condition and / or improve the health and / or appearance of the user’s skin. Such formulations containing at least one active ingredient for the relevant function are referred herein to as active treatment formulations. Examples of suitable treatments, but not limited to, include cleansing, makeup removal, conditioning, care, decolorization, filling, therapeutic treatments, any other suitable treatments, and any combination thereof.

[0035] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the terms “wt.%” and “wt%” in the composition of a film or article are intended to refer to the composition of a specified element in parts by weight of “dry” (non-water) parts of weight of the entire water-soluble film or article, including residual water in a water-soluble film, or, depending on the context, in parts by weight of the entire composition. The terms “wt.%” and “wt%” in the composition of an active treatment formulation are intended to refer to the weight content of a specified element or component relative to the total weight of the active cleaning formulation, which may include solvents or volatile components or components as necessary, although such solvents or volatile components or components may not be present in the coated film or article.

[0036] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term “PHR” (“phr”) is intended to refer to the composition of specified elements by parts per 100 parts of a water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate, foam substrate or film, or a solution used to produce a water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate, foam substrate or film, whether it be PVOH or another polymer resin unless otherwise specified.

[0037] Where used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term “including” means that various components, ingredients, or steps may be used in combination to carry out the disclosure. Thus, the term “including” encompasses the more restrictive terms “essentially from” and “consisting of.” The compositions include, are essentially from, or may consist of any of the essential and optional elements disclosed herein. The disclosures disclosed exemplary herein may be preferably carried out in the absence of any elements or steps not specifically disclosed herein.

[0038] When a value is expressed as an approximation using the preposition "about," it will be understood that the particular value may form a different embodiment. As used herein, "about X" (where X is a number) in exemplary embodiments comprehensively refers to ±10% (e.g., ±5%) of the stated value.

[0039] Water-dispersible or water-soluble skin treatment articles, water-dispersible or water-soluble nonwoven fabric materials, water-dispersible or water-soluble foam materials, and water-dispersible or water-soluble film materials, as well as related methods for manufacturing and using water-dispersible or water-soluble skin treatment articles, water-dispersible or water-soluble nonwoven fabric materials, water-dispersible or water-soluble foam materials, and water-dispersible or water-soluble film materials, may be considered to include embodiments that, unless otherwise specified, include one or any combination of additional elements, features, and steps further described below as needed.

[0040] In exemplary embodiments, a water-dispersible skin treatment article comprises a water-soluble core substrate containing a water-soluble resin. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble core substrate comprises one or more water-soluble nonwoven fabric core substrates. The water-soluble core substrate contains an active treatment formulation, and when the water-soluble core substrate comes into contact with water having a temperature higher than 10°C or water having a temperature between 30°C and 40°C, the water-soluble core substrate becomes soluble to release the active treatment formulation. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble core substrate becomes dispersible in 300 seconds at 10°C, soluble in more than 15 seconds but less than 300 seconds at 20°C, soluble in more than 15 seconds but less than 300 seconds at 40°C, and soluble in less than 300 seconds at 80°C.

[0041] In exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulation is in the form of at least one of a solid, e.g., powder or a plurality of granules or particles, gel, liquid, or slurry, or any preferred combination thereof, and is bonded to the surface of a water-soluble core substrate to provide a substantially dry skin treatment article. In certain embodiments, the water-soluble core substrate is saturated with the active treatment formulation. In other embodiments, the active treatment formulation is embedded in, applied to, positioned, coated, bonded to, and / or adhered to the water-soluble core substrate, for example, the active treatment formulation is positioned on the surface of the water-soluble core substrate. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble core substrate is at least one of being coated with or impregnated with the active treatment formulation. In exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulation is present in the water-soluble core substrate, for example, in a fiber-forming composition, a foam-forming composition, or a film-forming composition.

[0042] Referring to the drawings, first with Figure 1, in an exemplary embodiment, the water-soluble skin treatment article 20 is in the form of a water-soluble facial mask 22 made from a suitable water-soluble core substrate such as a water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24. Referring to Figures 1-4, although each of the skin treatment article 20, facial mask 22, core substrate, and nonwoven fabric substrate 24 is described as water-soluble, each of the skin treatment article 20, facial mask 22, core substrate, and nonwoven fabric substrate 24 may contain water-dispersible and / or water-soluble materials, such as a plurality of water-dispersible fibers, a plurality of water-soluble fibers, or a blend of water-dispersible and water-soluble fibers. Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the facial mask 22, for example, the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24, has a first surface 26 configured to contact the user's skin and a second surface 28 on the opposite side. Before or during use, the facial mask 22 is placed on the user's face such that the first surface 26 is in contact with the surface of the user's facial skin. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 is substantially planar, but when wet with water, for example, the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 can be molded to conform to or form the contours of the user's body, for example, to conform to the contours of the user's facial skin surface. In other exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 is nonplanar, having surface contours that conform to the contours of the user's facial skin surface, for example, around the user's eyes, along the user's forehead, and / or along the user's cheekbones and / or jaw.

[0043] As shown in Figure 1, the facial mask 22, for example, a water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24, includes a plurality of openings for alignment with the user's eyes, nose, and mouth, respectively, to facilitate proper placement of the facial mask on the user's face. For example, as shown in Figure 1, the nonwoven fabric substrate 24 forms a first or right eye opening 30 and a second or left eye opening 32, respectively, for alignment with the user's right and left eyes. In addition, the nonwoven fabric substrate 24 forms a third opening 34 for alignment with the user's nose and a fourth opening 36 for alignment with the user's mouth. In exemplary embodiments, one or more active treatment formulations 50 are applied to and bonded to one or more surfaces of the nonwoven fabric substrate 24, for example, at least a portion of the first surface 26 and / or at least a portion of the second surface 28. In a particular exemplary embodiment, the nonwoven fabric substrate 24 includes one or more regions, such as a first region 40, a second region 42, a third region 44, and a fourth region 46. Each of the regions is configured to contain one or more active treatment formulations 50, as shown, for example, in Figures 2 and 3.

[0044] In exemplary embodiments, a first active treatment formulation for treating wrinkles, for example, is contained on or within a first region 40 of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24, and is, for example, bonded to a first surface 26 and / or a second surface 28 in the first region 40, and / or contained on or within a second region 42, and is, for example, bonded to the first surface 26 and / or a second surface 28 in the second region 42, and is positionable toward the user's eyes, for example, to contact the skin around each of the user's right or left eyes and / or the skin below each of the user's eyes. Additionally or alternatively, a third region 44 of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 is positionable toward the user's forehead, for example, to contact the user's skin on the user's forehead and / or the bridge of the user's nose. For example, the third region 44 is configured to contain, for example, a first active treatment formulation for treating wrinkles, and / or a second treatment formulation for treating acne, for example. Additionally or alternatively, a fourth region 46 of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 can be positioned relative to one or both of the user's cheeks and / or chin so as to contact the user's skin around the user's cheekbones and / or chin. The fourth region 46 is configured to contain, for example, a first active treatment formulation for treating wrinkles and / or a second active treatment formulation for treating acne and / or different active treatment formulations for providing additional skin wellness formulations to the user's skin.

[0045] In exemplary embodiments, each of the first region 40, second region 42, third region 44, and fourth region 46 forms at least a portion of the water-soluble facial mask 22. In exemplary embodiments, each of the first region 40, second region 42, third region 44, and / or fourth region 46 has dimensions suitable for, for example, dispensing, to effectively deliver the active treatment formulation 50 to a desired location on the user's skin. In certain embodiments, one or more of the first region 40, second region 42, third region 44, or fourth region 46 may overlap with adjacent regions. Furthermore, one or more of the first region 40, second region 42, third region 44, or fourth region 46 can be separated from the water-soluble facial mask 22 before or during use.

[0046] In exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulation 50, which is applied to and / or bonded to a substrate, for example, a first surface 26 and / or second surface 28 of a water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24, comprises an absorbent powder, an activator mixed with the absorbent powder to form an active mixture, and a water-soluble binder mixed with or combined with the active mixture to form the active treatment formulation 50. In certain embodiments, the absorbent powder constitutes 5 wt.% to 40 wt.% of the active treatment formulation 50, the activator constitutes 10 wt.% to 60 wt.% of the active treatment formulation 50, and the water-soluble binder constitutes 10 wt.% to 50 wt.% of the active treatment formulation 50. In exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulation 50 exists in a substantially solid form having a water content of less than 10%, and more specifically, 5% or less.

[0047] In exemplary embodiments, the absorbent powder includes, but is not limited to, silica, raw starch, modified starch, hydroxypropylated starch, crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone, crosslinked cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, metal oxides, calcium carbonate, talc, mica, stearic acid and their metal salts, treated silica, methyl methacrylate crosspolymer, dimethicone / vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, polymethylsilsesquioxane, carbon, polysilicone-22, lauroyl lysine, nylon, clay, or combinations thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the absorbent powder has a particle size of 1 micron (μm) to 50 μm and a specific surface area of ​​10 m². 2 / g~500m 2 The powder contains multiple particles, such as multiple spherical porous particles, at a density of / g. In an alternative embodiment, the absorbent powder contains particles having a particle size of less than 1 μm and / or particles having a particle size of greater than 50 microns, and / or 10 m 2 Less than / g and / or 500m 2 Particles with a specific surface area exceeding / g may be included.

[0048] The activators are not limited to, but include, for example, oils, hyaluronic acid, aloe, chamomile extract, lactic acid, citric acid, hydrolyzed collagen, polysaccharides, peptides, foaming agents, ceramides, glycolic acid, alpha-hydroxy acids, amino acids, activated charcoal, sunscreens, avobenzone, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, activators (energizers), caffeine, ginseng, taurine, retinol, retinoic acid, niacinamide, salicylic acid or azelaic acid, detergents, emulsifiers, chelating agents (CH Contains fragrances, pH adjusters, builders, structurants, fragrance-free ingredients, encapsulated fragrances, preservatives, minerals, shampoos, conditioners, body washes, facial cleansers, skin lotions, skin treatments, body oils, fragrances, hair treatments, bath salts, essential oils, bath bombs, enzymes, benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, vitamins, ceramides, ferulic acid, peptides, or other suitable functional components or ingredients, or any combination thereof.

[0049] In an exemplary embodiment, the absorbent powder is, for example, about 50 ml 2 / g ~ approx. 1,000m 2 / g or approximately 100m 2 / g~about 800m 2 The specific surface area in the range of / g and / or volume has a porosity ranging from approximately 10% to approximately 90%, for example, approximately 10% to 60%, 10% to 50%, 10% to 40%, or 10% to 30%.

[0050] In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble binder may include, but is not limited to, glycerin soap, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylic acid, polyethylene glycol (PEG-20 and more), modified polyethylene glycol, fatty acid salts, PEG-32 methyl ether dimethicone, bis-PEG-18 methyl ether dimethylsilane, sorbitol, hydroxypropyl cellulose, or any combination thereof. In certain exemplary embodiments, a suitable water-soluble binder such as glycerin soap may offer advantages during the manufacture and / or use of the facial mask 22, including, but not limited to, additional opportunities to incorporate desired cosmetic ingredients, improved treatment properties (mild soap), low water content, the presence of carboxylate salts that can reduce the stickiness or tackiness of polyvinyl alcohol during the water dissolution step and / or provide foaming or treatment experience, a low melting point (about 55°C) to avoid the preparation of aqueous solutions that may at least partially dissolve the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24, the provision of glycerin (moisturizing properties), and improved softness. In a particular embodiment, the water-soluble binder is configured to bind the active treatment formulation 50 to the surface of the substrate, for example, to the surface of one or more fibers forming a water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24, without dissolving the substrate.In certain cases, the active treatment formulation 50 may contain humectants such as glycerin, erythritol, polyethylene glycol (PEG-16 and less), modified polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, butylene glycol, pentylene glycol, hexylene glycol, diglycerin, caprylyl glycol, propanediol, methylpropanediol, acetamide MEA, methyl gluceth-10, methyl gluceth-20, acetamide ethoxyethanol, PPG-10 methyl glucose ether, PPG-20 methyl glucose ether, ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-hexanediol, capryloyl glycine, or combinations thereof; surfactants such as cocobetaine, cocamidopropylamine oxide, cocamide DEA, cocamide DIPA, cocamidopropyl betaine, lauramide DIPA, myristamide DIPA, cetyl betaine, polysorbate, sodium lauroamphoacetate, sodium lauroyl glycinate. This may include glycinate, sodium cocoyl glycinate, potassium cocoyl glycinate, sodium cocoyl isethionate, lauryl glucoside, decyl glucoside, disodium cocoamphodipropionate, disodium cocoyl glutamate, sodium methyl cocoyl taurate, disodium laureth sulfosuccinate, lauryl hydroxysultaine, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, sodium cocoyl alaninate, sodium cocoyl hydroxysultaine, oleic acid, glutamic acid, lauramidopropyl betaine, PEG-20 glyceryl triisostearate, glycereth-17 cocoate, cocoglucoside, caprylyl / capryl glucoside, potassium coconut fatty acid, potassium olive fatty acid (potassium olivate), potassium laurate, glycolipids, sodium laureth-5 carboxylate, or combinations thereof, and / or solvents, such as ethanol or isopropyl alcohol.

[0051] In exemplary embodiments, a skin treatment article, such as a facial mask, wipe, sheet, pad, sachet, or strip, is configured to deliver cosmetics and / or dermatological therapeutics to the user's skin. The skin treatment article includes a first nonwoven fabric substrate comprising a plurality of fibers containing a water-soluble resin. The first nonwoven fabric substrate has at least one first region, the first region containing a first active treatment formulation. In certain exemplary embodiments, a second nonwoven fabric substrate is bonded to the first nonwoven fabric substrate. The second nonwoven fabric substrate comprises a plurality of fibers containing a water-dispersible resin and / or water-soluble resin. The second nonwoven fabric substrate has at least one second region, the second region containing a second active treatment formulation. In exemplary embodiments, when a first nonwoven fabric substrate is in contact with water at a temperature above 10°C for 300 seconds or less (e.g., 30 to 300 seconds), the first nonwoven fabric substrate becomes soluble to release a first active treatment formulation from the first nonwoven fabric substrate according to MSTM-205. In certain embodiments, a second nonwoven fabric substrate comprises a plurality of fibers containing a water-dispersible resin, and when the second nonwoven fabric substrate is in contact with water at a temperature above 10°C for 300 seconds or less (e.g., 30 to 300 seconds), the second nonwoven fabric substrate becomes dispersible to release a second active treatment formulation from the second nonwoven fabric substrate according to MSTM-205. In a particular embodiment, the second nonwoven fabric substrate comprises a plurality of fibers containing a water-soluble resin, and when the second nonwoven fabric substrate is in contact with water having a temperature higher than 10°C for 300 seconds or less (e.g., 30 seconds to 300 seconds), the second nonwoven fabric substrate becomes soluble so as to release a second active treatment formulation from the second nonwoven fabric substrate according to MSTM-205. In an exemplary embodiment, a water-soluble film, a water-dispersible film, and / or a biodegradable film are bonded to the first nonwoven fabric substrate and / or the second nonwoven fabric substrate, for example, by lamination.

[0052] In exemplary embodiments, a skin treatment article, such as a facial mask, wipe, sheet, pad, sachet, or strip, is configured to deliver cosmetics and / or skin therapeutics to the user's skin. The skin treatment article includes a first nonwoven fabric substrate comprising a plurality of fibers containing a water-dispersible resin. The first nonwoven fabric substrate has at least one first region, the first region containing a first active treatment formulation. In certain exemplary embodiments, a second nonwoven fabric substrate is bonded to the first nonwoven fabric substrate. The second nonwoven fabric substrate comprises a plurality of fibers containing a water-dispersible resin and / or a water-soluble resin. The second nonwoven fabric substrate has a second region, the second region containing a second active treatment formulation. When the first nonwoven fabric substrate is in contact with water at a temperature higher than 10°C for 300 seconds or less (for example, 30 to 300 seconds), the first nonwoven fabric substrate becomes dispersible to release the first active treatment formulation from the first nonwoven fabric substrate according to MSTM-205. In certain embodiments, the second nonwoven fabric substrate comprises a plurality of fibers containing a water-dispersible resin, and when the second nonwoven fabric substrate is in contact with water at a temperature higher than 10°C for 300 seconds or less (for example, 30 to 300 seconds), the second nonwoven fabric substrate becomes dispersible to release the second active treatment formulation from the second nonwoven fabric substrate according to MSTM-205. It becomes dispersible to release. In certain embodiments, the second nonwoven substrate comprises a plurality of fibers containing a water-soluble resin, and when the second nonwoven substrate is in contact with water having a temperature higher than 10°C for 300 seconds or less (e.g., 30 to 300 seconds), the second nonwoven substrate becomes soluble to release the second active treatment formulation from the second nonwoven substrate according to MSTM-205. In exemplary embodiments, a water-soluble film, a water-dispersible film, and / or a biodegradable film are bonded to the first and / or second nonwoven substrates, and / or laminated, for example.

[0053] Referring further to Figures 1-3, the water-soluble skin treatment article 20 comprises a water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 containing a water-soluble resin. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 comprises the chemical properties of any suitable fibers, including, but not limited to, PVOH polymer fibers, or PVOH polymer fibers blended with cellulose-type fibers up to 90 wt.%. In alternative embodiments, the nonwoven fabric substrate is made from water-dispersible fibers. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 has a basis weight of 10 gsm to 120 gsm, more specifically 15 gsm to 100 gsm, and more specifically 30 gsm to 80 gsm, and more specifically 30 gsm to 40 gsm, a fiber length of 10 mm to 100 mm, and a suitable fiber diameter of 5 microns to 100 microns. In other exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 has any suitable basis weight, fiber length, and / or fiber diameter. For example, in exemplary embodiments, the fiber diameter is less than 5 microns or greater than 100 microns. The fibers of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 may be produced by any preferred method, including, but not limited to, carding and calendering processes, or any preferred process for producing water-soluble nonwoven fabric fibers. Furthermore, the fibers of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 may be bonded together using any preferred bonding process or method, including, but not limited to, thermal, thermal, chemical, water, and / or solution bonding methods, or any preferred bonding method known in the field of nonwoven fabric fiber bonding. As described herein, the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 may contain any preferred number of layers or pies, e.g., 1 layer or ply to 50 layers or pies (ply), or more in certain embodiments. The water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 may be porous or nonporous, and may be cold water soluble, hot water soluble, or hot water soluble. The water-soluble nonwoven fabric base material 24 can be formed using any suitable manufacturing process known in the field of nonwoven fabric manufacturing technology, including, but not limited to, carding processes.The composition of the water-soluble substrate 22 may include, for example, folded layers or pies, stacked layers or pies, and / or rolled layers or pies.

[0054] In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 is configured to contain the active treatment formulation 50. When the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 comes into contact with water at a temperature higher than 20°C, or between 30°C and 40°C, the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 becomes soluble and releases the active treatment formulation 50, delivering the active treatment formulation 50 to desired locations on the user's face. In exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulation 50 is in the form of a solid, such as a powder, or a plurality of granules or particles. In alternative exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulation 50 is in the form of a gel, a liquid or slurry formulation, or any preferred combination of solid, gel, liquid or slurry formulations. In exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulation 50 is in any preferred phase, including, for example, a solid phase, a liquid phase, a slurry phase (a liquid containing a solid and a plurality of phases), or any preferred combination of phases. For example, the active treatment formulation 50 may include fine powder particles or granules, a gel, one or more liquids, or a slurry, or a plurality of phases. In exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulation 50 includes, but is not limited to, hyaluronic acid, aloe, chamomile extract, lactic acid, citric acid, hydrolyzed collagen, polysaccharides, peptides, surfactants, or one or more of the following: foaming agents, cleansing agents, surfactants, emulsifiers, chelating agents, enzymes, pH adjusters, builders, structuring agents, free fragrances, encapsulated fragrances, preservatives, solvents, minerals, and / or any ingredients suitable for inclusion in a skin treatment formulation, skin wellness formulation or personal care formulation. In exemplary embodiments, the skin treatment article 20 includes the active treatment formulation 50 having a mass of 0.5 grams (g) to 250 grams, more specifically 3.0 grams to 8.0 grams, and more specifically 0.1 g to 3.0 g of selected ingredients, and a volume of 1.0 ml (ml) to 250 ml. In exemplary embodiments where the active treatment formulation 50 is a solid phase, the particles or granules may have a size of, for example, 1 to 100 microns, or may be in the form of tablets.

[0055] In exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulation 50 is contained within, on, or by means of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 by, for example, saturating the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 with the active treatment formulation 50, by, for example, arranging, for example, the active treatment formulation 50 on one or more surfaces of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24, such as a first surface 26 and / or a second surface 28, as shown in Figure 2, by, for example, bonding, the active treatment formulation 50 within the matrix 52 of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24, for example, within one or more layers of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24, as shown in Figure 3, and / or arranging the active treatment formulation 50 between different layers of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24, such as adjacent layers, for example, by coating one or more surfaces of one or more layers with, for example, the active treatment formulation 50. The active treatment formulation 50 can, for example, impregnate, adsorb, and / or adhere to or bond to the surface of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24, or to the surface of one or more fibers of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24.

[0056] In exemplary embodiments, such as those shown in Figure 2, the skin treatment article 20 comprises one or more layers of a water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 in the form of a nonwoven sheet 54, and a substantially solid-phase active treatment formulation 50 disposed on, applied to, and / or bonded to a first surface 26 and / or the opposite second surface 28 of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24. A water-soluble binder of the active treatment formulation 50, and, in certain embodiments, other components or constituents of the active treatment formulation 50, facilitate the bonding of the active treatment formulation 50 to the surface of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 or to the surface of one or more fibers of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24. In exemplary embodiments, such as those shown in Figure 3, the skin treatment article 20 comprises one or more layers of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 forming a nonwoven sheet 54 containing a substantially solid-phase active treatment formulation 50 embedded within a matrix 52 of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24.

[0057] Referring further to Figures 1-3, in exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 includes a plurality of fibers as described herein, but which are not explicitly shown in Figures 1-3. In exemplary embodiments, one or more of the plurality of fibers are saturated or impregnated with the active treatment formulation 50. The active treatment formulation 50 may be embedded in one or more of the plurality of fibers, or between one or more adjacent fibers of the plurality of fibers, or the active treatment formulation 50 may be placed on or applied to the surface of one or more of the plurality of fibers, for example, as a coating.

[0058] As shown in Figure 4, sustainable packaging 60 made from suitable recyclable materials such as corrugated cardboard, paperboard, coated paper, barrier paper, repulpable packaging materials, recyclable plastics, and / or other suitable paper-based materials is configured to contain or store one or more facial masks 22, for example, multiple facial masks 22. Before use, the user opens the tab 62 and removes one facial mask 22 from the packaging 60 for use. The user then closes the tab 62 to seal the packaging 60. In exemplary embodiments, the facial masks are initially provided in a substantially dry state, and water is added to the facial masks before or during use.

[0059] In exemplary embodiments, exemplary water-soluble skin treatment articles 20 that can be placed on an area of ​​the user's skin are provided. For example, a water-soluble skin treatment article 20 in the form of a facial mask 22 can be placed on the user's face so as to contact at least a portion of the surface of the user's facial skin. For example, a first opening 30 is positioned around the user's right eye, and a second opening 32 is positioned around the user's left eye. Additionally, a third opening 34 is positioned around the user's nose, and a fourth opening 36 is positioned around the user's mouth. When the facial mask 22 is properly placed on the user's face, one or more areas of the facial mask 22 containing one or more active treatment formulations 50, such as a first area 40, a second area 42, a third area 44, and a fourth area 46, are properly positioned to contact the respective areas of the user's facial skin. For example, a first active treatment formulation for treating wrinkles is contained, for example, on or within a first region 40 and / or on or within a second region 42 of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric base 24, and is positioned toward the user's eyes so as to contact, for example, the skin around each of the user's right or left eyes and / or the skin below each of the user's eyes. A third region 44 of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric base 24 is positioned toward the user's forehead so as to contact, for example, the user's forehead and / or the user's skin on the bridge of the nose. For example, the third region 44 is configured to contain, for example, a first active treatment formulation for treating wrinkles and / or a second treatment formulation for treating acne. A fourth region 46 of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric base 24 is positioned toward one or both of the user's cheeks and / or the user's chin so as to contact the user's skin around the user's cheekbones and / or chin. The fourth region 46 is configured to contain a first active treatment formulation, a second active treatment formulation for treating, for example, acne, and / or different active treatment formulations for providing an additional skin wellness formulation to the user's skin.The one or more active treatment formulations in the exemplary embodiments may include, but are not limited to, any suitable skincare ingredients to provide a variety of desired effects, including hydration, moisturizing, brightening, firming, and / or pore treatment, or fragrances or essential oils or extracts of natural scents. When the water-soluble skin treatment article 20, for example, a facial mask 22, comes into contact with water having a temperature higher than 20°C, or water having a temperature between 30°C and 40°C, the water-soluble skin treatment article 20 becomes soluble and releases one or more active treatment formulations 50 into one or more areas of the facial mask 22. After use, any remaining portion of the facial mask 22 is removed from the user's face and discarded. Alternatively, in the exemplary embodiments, the remaining portion of the facial mask 22 and / or any remaining active treatment formulation 50 forms a lather that the user can massage into the user's skin using wet hands or fingers. In exemplary embodiments, the user can use all of the active treatment formulation 50 and will not feel as if they are not using the entire amount of the active treatment formulation 50. In certain exemplary embodiments, two or more of several regions of the facial mask 22, such as the first region 40, the second region 42, the third region 44, and / or the fourth region 46, may contain the same or substantially the same active treatment formulation 50.

[0060] In exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulation 50 comprises one or more absorbent powders, one or more activators, and / or one or more water-soluble binders for forming the active treatment formulation 50, providing the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 with a desired or preferred degree of stickiness or tackiness, at least in part, according to its intended use for the facial mask 22. For example, the relative stickiness or tackiness of the facial mask 22 can be adjusted by adjusting the weight percentage amounts of one or more components or constituents of the active treatment formulation 50, such as the weight percentage amount of absorbent powders, the weight percentage amount of activators, and / or the weight percentage amount of water-soluble binders. These adjustments can provide the facial mask 22 with a suitable level of stickiness, improving the user experience by offering a substantially dry, pleasant feel or texture, keeping the facial mask 22 in good position on the user's skin during use, and / or promoting the desired reduction of polyvinyl alcohol stickiness when the water-soluble nonwoven fabric base material 24 dissolves in the presence of water during use.

[0061] Referring to Figure 5, in an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary method 100 for producing an active treatment formulation and an exemplary skin treatment article containing the active treatment formulation, such as a water-soluble skin treatment article, comprises steps 102, 104, 106, and / or 108. In step 102, a water-soluble binder is melted or dissolved in a volatile solvent using a preferred heating mechanism to form a molten or dissolved water-soluble binder. In a particular embodiment, glycerin soap, dipropylene glycol, and optionally a surfactant are heated to form a molten water-soluble binder mixture. In step 104, an activator is added to the molten or dissolved water-soluble binder to form an active treatment formulation. In a particular embodiment, in step 106 as needed, an absorbent powder is mixed or combined with the activator to form an active mixture. In step 106, an activator or active mixture is added to the molten or dissolved water-soluble binder to form an active treatment formulation. In step 108, the active treatment formulation is applied to one or more surfaces of a core substrate containing a water-soluble resin, such as a water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24. The active treatment formulation is applied to the surface of the core substrate in thicknesses of 5 to 50 microns, 5 to 20 microns, 10 to 15 microns, or 12.7 microns. In certain embodiments, the active treatment formulation is applied to the surface of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24, which is the core substrate, using a bar coater or other suitable applicator known to those skilled in the art. In certain embodiments, exemplary method 100 also includes the steps of drying the skin treatment article to remove the solvent from the active treatment formulation and / or cutting the water-soluble skin treatment article to form a water-soluble facial mask.

[0062] In exemplary embodiments, the core substrate, for example, a water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24, is configured to contain one or more active treatment formulations, such as those described herein. In exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulation 50 is contained within or by means of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 by, for example, saturating the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 with the active treatment formulation 50, by arranging or applying the active treatment formulation 50 to one or more surfaces of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24, for example, a first surface 28 and / or a second surface 30, as shown in Figure 2, by embedding the active treatment formulation 50 in the matrix 52 of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24, for example, in one or more layers of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24, as shown in Figure 3, and / or by arranging the active treatment formulation 50 between different layers of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24, for example, adjacent layers, for example by coating one or more surfaces of one or more layers with the active treatment formulation 50, and / or impregnating the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24 with the active treatment formulation. The active treatment formulation 50 can, for example, be adsorbed and / or adhered to or bonded to the surface of the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate 24. When the water-soluble core substrate comes into contact with water at a temperature higher than 20°C, or with water at a temperature between 30°C and 40°C, the water-soluble core substrate becomes soluble in order to release the active treatment formulation. Water-soluble films and fiber-forming materials

[0063] Water-soluble polymers for use in water-soluble fibers, water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrates, water-soluble foam substrates, and water-soluble films include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylates, water-soluble acrylate copolymers, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethyleneimine, pullulan, water-soluble natural polymers including, but not limited to, guar gum, acacia gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, and starch, water-soluble polymer derivatives including, but not limited to, modified starch, ethoxylated starch, and hydroxypropylated starch, copolymers of the foregoing, and any combination thereof. Other water-soluble polymers may include polyalkylene oxides, polyacrylamides, polyacrylic acids and their salts, cellulose, cellulose ethers, cellulose esters, celluloseamides, polyvinyl acetate, polycarboxylic acids and their salts, polyamino acids, polyamides, gelatin, methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose and its salts, dextrin, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, maltodextrin, polymethacrylates, and any combination thereof. Such water-soluble polymers, whether PVOH polymers or otherwise, are commercially available from a variety of suppliers.

[0064] Generally, the fibers, foams, and films described herein contain polyvinyl alcohol. Polyvinyl alcohol is generally a synthetic polymer prepared by the alcoholic decomposition of polyvinyl acetate, commonly referred to as "hydrolysis" or "saponification." Completely hydrolyzed PVOH, in which substantially all acetate groups are converted to alcohol groups, is a strongly hydrogen-bonded, highly crystalline polymer that dissolves only in hot water, e.g., water with a temperature higher than about 140°F (about 60°C). If a sufficient number of acetate groups remain after the hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate, i.e., if the PVOH polymer is partially hydrolyzed, the polymer becomes weaker hydrogen-bonded, less crystalline, and generally soluble in cold water, e.g., water with a temperature below about 50°F (about 10°C). Thus, the partially hydrolyzed polymer is a vinyl alcohol-vinyl acetate copolymer, which is a PVOH copolymer but is commonly referred to as PVOH.

[0065] In certain exemplary embodiments, preferred examples of such polymers include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl alcohol homopolymers, polyvinyl alcohol copolymers, modified polyvinyl alcohol copolymers, and combinations thereof. For example, in certain embodiments, a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer is a copolymer of vinyl acetate and vinyl alcohol. For example, in some embodiments, a modified polyvinyl alcohol copolymer includes an anionically modified copolymer, which may be a copolymer of vinyl acetate and vinyl alcohol further containing additional groups such as carboxylates, sulfonates, or combinations thereof. Thus, a partially hydrolyzed polymer is a vinyl alcohol-vinyl acetate copolymer, which is a PVOH copolymer but is commonly referred to as “polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH)” or “PVOH polymer.” For brevity, the term “PVOH polymer,” as used herein, is understood to encompass homopolymers, copolymers, and modified copolymers containing a vinyl alcohol portion, e.g., 50% or more vinyl alcohol portion.

[0066] The fibers, foams, and / or films described herein may include one or more polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) homopolymers, one or more polyvinyl alcohol copolymers, one or more modified polyvinyl alcohol copolymers, or combinations thereof. As used herein, the term “homopolymer” generally includes polymers having a single type of monomer repeating unit (e.g., polymer chains consisting of or essentially derived from a single monomer repeating unit). For the specific case of PVOH, the term “PVOH polymer” may further include copolymers consisting of a distribution of vinyl alcohol monomer units and vinyl acetate monomer units (e.g., polymer chains consisting of or essentially derived from vinyl alcohol and vinyl acetate monomer units), depending on the degree of hydrolysis. In the limited case of 100% hydrolysis, a PVOH homopolymer may include a true homopolymer having only vinyl alcohol units. In some embodiments, the fibers, foams, and / or films of this disclosure include polyvinyl alcohol copolymers. In some embodiments, the fibers, foams, and / or films of this disclosure include cold water soluble or hot water soluble polyvinyl alcohol copolymers.

[0067] Unless otherwise explicitly stated, the term "degree of hydrolysis" is understood as the percentage (e.g., molar percentage) of the total hydrolyzable portion of the initial polymer that is hydrolyzed. For example, in a polymer containing at least one of a vinyl acetate moiety or a vinyl alcohol moiety, during hydrolysis, the ester groups of the vinyl acetate moiety are partially replaced by hydroxyl groups, and the vinyl acetate moiety becomes the vinyl alcohol moiety. The degree of hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate homopolymer is considered to be 0, while the degree of hydrolysis of polyvinyl alcohol homopolymer is considered to be 100%. The degree of hydrolysis of a copolymer of vinyl acetate and vinyl alcohol is equal to the percentage of the vinyl alcohol portion out of the sum of the vinyl acetate and vinyl alcohol portions, and is considered to be between 0 and 100%.

[0068] In some embodiments, the polyvinyl alcohol includes modified polyvinyl alcohol, such as copolymers. Modified polyvinyl alcohol may include copolymers or higher-order polymers (e.g., ter-polymers) containing one or more monomers in addition to the vinyl acetate / vinyl alcohol group. Optionally, the modification is neutral and provided by, for example, ethylene, propylene, N-vinylpyrrolidone, or other uncharged monomer species. Optionally, the modification is cationic and provided by, for example, positively charged monomer species. Optionally, the modification is anionic. Therefore, in some embodiments, the polyvinyl alcohol includes anionic modified polyvinyl alcohol.

[0069] Anionically modified polyvinyl alcohols may include partially or completely hydrolyzed PVOH copolymers comprising anionic monomer units, vinyl alcohol monomer units, and optionally vinyl acetate monomer units (i.e., if not completely hydrolyzed). In some embodiments, the modified PVOH copolymer may contain two or more types of anionic monomer units. A common class of anionic monomer units that can be used in PVOH copolymers includes vinyl sulfonate monomers and their esters, vinyl monocarboxylate monomers, their esters and anhydrides, dicarboxylic acid monomers having polymerizable double bonds, their esters and anhydrides, and vinyl polymerization units corresponding to alkali metal salts of any of the aforementioned. Examples of suitable anionic monomer units include vinylacetic acid, maleic acid, monoalkyl maleic acid, dialkyl maleic acid, maleic anhydride, fumaric acid, monoalkyl fumaric acid, dialkyl fumaric acid, itaconic acid, monoalkyl itaconic acid, dialkyl itaconic acid, citraconic acid, monoalkyl citraconic acid, dialkyl citraconic acid, citraconic anhydride, mesaconic acid, monoalkyl mesaconic acid, dialkyl mesaconic acid, glutaconic acid, monoalkyl glutaconic acid, dialkyl glutaconic acid, alkyl acrylate, alkyl alkyl acrylate, vinyl sulfonic acid, allyl sulfonic acid, ethylene sulfonic acid, 2-A Examples of vinyl polymerization units corresponding to vinyl anionic monomers include acrylamide-1-methylpropanesulfonic acid, 2-acrylamide-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, 2-methylacrylamide-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS), 2-sulfoethyl acrylate, alkali metal salts of the aforementioned (e.g., sodium, potassium, or other alkali metal salts), esters of the aforementioned (e.g., methyl, ethyl, or other C1-C4 or C6 alkyl esters), and combinations of the aforementioned (e.g., multiple types of anionic monomers, or equivalent forms of the same anionic monomer). In some embodiments, the modified PVOH copolymer may contain two or more types of monomer units selected from neutral, anionic, and cationic monomer units.

[0070] The level of incorporation of one or more anionic monomer units in the PVOH copolymer is not particularly limited. In certain embodiments, one or more anionic monomer units are present in the PVOH copolymer in amounts ranging from about 1 mol.% or 2 mol.% to about 6 mol.% or 10 mol.% (for example, in various embodiments, at least 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 or 4.0 mol.%, and / or up to about 3.0, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 6.0, 8.0 or 10 mol.%).

[0071] Polyvinyl alcohol can undergo changes in its solubility characteristics. It is known to those skilled in the art that the acetate groups of co-poly(vinyl acetate vinyl alcohol) polymers (PVOH copolymers) are hydrolyzable by either acidic or alkaline hydrolysis. As the degree of hydrolysis increases, polymer compositions made from PVOH copolymers gain increased mechanical strength, but their solubility at lower temperatures decreases (e.g., requiring hot water temperatures for complete dissolution). Therefore, exposure of PVOH copolymers to an alkaline environment (e.g., from laundry bleach additives) can transform them from polymers that rapidly and completely dissolve in a given aqueous environment (e.g., cold water) to polymers that slowly and / or incompletely dissolve in an aqueous environment, potentially resulting in undissolved polymer residues.

[0072] The degree of hydrolysis (DH) of PVOH homopolymers and PVOH copolymers (including modified PVOH copolymers) contained in the water-soluble fibers, foams, and films of this disclosure may range from about 75% to about 99.9% (e.g., about 79% to about 92%, about 75% to about 89%, about 80% to about 90%, about 88% to about 92%, about 86.5% to about 89%, or about 88%, 90%, or 92% in the case of cold water-soluble compositions, etc.; about 90% to about 99.9%, about 90% to about 99%, about 92% to about 99%, about 95% to about 99%, about 98% to about 99%, about 98% to about 99.9%, about 96%, about 98%, about 99%, or higher than 99%). As the degree of hydrolysis decreases, fibers, foams, or films made from the polymer have reduced mechanical strength but become rapidly soluble at temperatures below about 20°C. As the degree of hydrolysis increases, fibers, foams, or films made from the polymer tend to be more mechanically strong, but tend to have reduced thermoformability. The degree of hydrolysis of PVOH can be selected so that the water solubility of the polymer is temperature-dependent, and therefore the solubility of films, foams, or fibers made from the polymer and additional components is also affected. In certain embodiments, the films, foams, and / or fibers are cold water soluble. For copolymers (vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol) that do not contain any other monomers (e.g., copolymers not copolymerized with anionic monomers), cold water soluble fibers, foams, or films that are soluble in water at temperatures below 10°C may contain PVOH with a degree of hydrolysis in the range of about 75% to about 90%, about 75% to about 89%, or about 80% to about 90%, or about 85% to about 90%. In another embodiment, the fibers, foam, or film are hot water soluble. In the case of a copolymer (vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol) polymer that does not contain any other monomers (e.g., a copolymer not copolymerized with an anionic monomer), a hot water soluble fiber, foam, or film that is soluble in water at a temperature of at least about 60°C may contain PVOH having a degree of hydrolysis of at least about 98%. In an exemplary embodiment, one or more of a plurality of fibers contain a polyvinyl alcohol polymer having a degree of hydrolysis ranging from about 75% to about 99.9%.In an exemplary embodiment, one or more of the plurality of fibers comprise a polyvinyl alcohol polymer having a degree of hydrolysis in the range of about 75% to about 98%. In an exemplary embodiment, one or more of the plurality of fibers comprise a polyvinyl alcohol polymer having a degree of hydrolysis in the range of about 75% to about 89%. In an exemplary embodiment, one or more of the plurality of fibers comprise a polyvinyl alcohol polymer having a degree of hydrolysis in the range of about 90% to about 99.9%. In an exemplary embodiment, the water-soluble film comprises a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer or a modified PVOH copolymer having a degree of hydrolysis in the range of about 75% to about 99.9%. In an exemplary embodiment, the water-soluble film comprises a polyvinyl alcohol homopolymer or a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer having a degree of hydrolysis in the range of about 75% to about 98%.

[0073] The degree of hydrolysis of the polymer blend can also be characterized by the arithmetic weighted average degree of hydrolysis ( [Number] ). For example, for a PVOH polymer comprising two or more PVOH polymers, the [Number] is calculated by the formula [Number] where W i is the molar percentage of each PVOH polymer and H i is the degree of hydrolysis of each. When a polymer is referred to as having (or not having) a particular degree of hydrolysis, the polymer may be a single polyvinyl alcohol polymer having the specified degree of hydrolysis or a blend of polyvinyl alcohol polymers having the specified average degree of hydrolysis.

[0074] The viscosity (μ) of PVOH polymers is determined by measuring a freshly prepared solution using a Brookfield LV viscometer with a UL adapter, as described in the Brookfield test method of Annex E of the British standard EN ISO 15023-2:2006. It is internationally customary to state the viscosity of a 4% aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution at 20°C. In this specification, all viscosities specified in centipoise (cP) should be understood to refer to the viscosity of a 4% aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution at 20°C, unless otherwise specified. Similarly, when a polymer is described as having (or not having) a specific viscosity, unless otherwise specified, the specified viscosity is the average viscosity of that polymer and is intended to essentially have a corresponding molecular weight distribution, i.e., a weighted natural log-mean viscosity. The viscosity of a PVOH polymer is determined by the weight-average molecular weight of the PVOH polymer.

number

number

[0075] In exemplary embodiments, the PVOH resin may have a viscosity of about 1.0 to about 50.0 cP, about 1.0 to about 40.0 cP, or about 1.0 to about 30.0 cP, for example, about 4 cP, 8 cP, 15 cP, 18 cP, 23 cP, or 26 cP. In exemplary embodiments, the PVOH homopolymer and / or copolymer may have a viscosity of about 1.0 to about 40.0 cP, or about 5 cP to about 23 cP, for example, about 1 cP, 1.5 cP, 2 cP, 2.5 cP, 3 cP, 3.5 cP, 4 cP, 4.5 cP, 5 cP, 5.5 cP, 6 cP, 6.5 cP, 7 cP, 7.5 cP, 8 cP, 8.5 cP, 9 cP, 9. The PVOH homopolymer and / or copolymer can have a viscosity of 5 cP, 10 cP, 11 cP, 12 cP, 13 cP, 14 cP, 15 cP, 17.5 cP, 18 cP, 19 cP, 20 cP, 21 cP, 22 cP, 23 cP, 24 cP, 25 cP, 26 cP, 27 cP, 28 cP, 29 cP, 30 cP, 31 cP, 32 cP, 33 cP, 34 cP, 35 cP, or 40 cP. In exemplary embodiments, the PVOH homopolymer and / or copolymer can have a viscosity of about 21 cP to 26 cP. In exemplary embodiments, the PVOH homopolymer and / or copolymer can have a viscosity of about 5 cP to about 14 cP. In exemplary embodiments, the PVOH homopolymer and / or copolymer can have a viscosity of about 5 cP to about 23 cP.

[0076] Water-soluble polymers, whether polyvinyl alcohol polymers or other polymers, can be blended. If the polymer blend includes a blend of polyvinyl alcohol polymers, the PVOH polymer blend may include a first PVOH polymer ("first PVOH polymer") which may include a PVOH copolymer or a modified PVOH copolymer containing one or more types of anionic monomer units (e.g., a PVOH terpolymer (or a higher-order copolymer)), and a second PVOH polymer ("second PVOH polymer") which may include a PVOH copolymer or a modified PVOH copolymer containing one or more types of anionic monomer units (e.g., a PVOH terpolymer (or a higher-order copolymer)). In some embodiments, the PVOH polymer blend may include only the first PVOH polymer and the second PVOH polymer (e.g., a two-component blend of the two polymers). Alternatively or additionally, the PVOH polymer blend, or fibers, foams, or films made therefrom, may be characterized by not containing, or substantially not containing, other polymers (e.g., other water-soluble polymers in general, in particular other PVOH-based polymers, or both). As used herein, “substantially uncontaining” means that the first and second PVOH polymers constitute at least 95 wt.%, at least 97 wt.%, or at least 99 wt.%, of the total amount of water-soluble polymers in the water-soluble fiber, foam, or film. In other embodiments, the water-soluble fiber, foam, or film may contain one or more additional water-soluble polymers. For example, the PVOH polymer blend may contain a third PVOH polymer, a fourth PVOH polymer, a fifth PVOH polymer, etc. (e.g., one or more additional PVOH copolymers or modified PVOH copolymers, with or without anionic monomer units). For example, the water-soluble fiber or film may contain at least a third (or fourth, fifth, etc.) water-soluble polymer other than the PVOH polymers (e.g., other than PVOH copolymers or modified PVOH copolymers, with or without anionic monomer units).Each blend may also contain PVOH homopolymers. biodegradable

[0077] Polyvinyl alcohol polymers are generally biodegradable, as they decompose in the presence of water and enzymes under aerobic, anaerobic, soil, and compost conditions. Generally, the biodegradation activity of polyvinyl alcohol polymers increases when the degree of hydrolysis increases to about 80%. While not strictly theoretical, it is thought that an increase in the degree of hydrolysis beyond 80% does not have a noticeable effect on biodegradability. Additionally, the stereoregularity of the hydroxyl groups in polyvinyl alcohol polymers has a significant effect on the level of biodegradation activity, with higher isotacticity of the hydroxyl groups in the polymer sequence resulting in higher decomposition activity. While not strictly theoretical, for soil and / or compost biodegradation, nonwoven substrates or webs prepared from polyvinyl alcohol fibers are thought to have a higher level of biodegradation activity compared to water-soluble films prepared from similar polyvinyl alcohol polymers, due to the increased polymer surface area provided by the nonwoven substrate or web compared to films. Furthermore, while not adhering strictly to theory, the degree of polymerization of polyvinyl alcohol polymers is thought to have little to no effect on the biodegradability of films, foams, or nonwoven substrates or webs prepared using those polymers. However, the polymerization temperature may affect the crystallinity and aggregation state of the polymer, and therefore may have an effect on the biodegradability of films, foam substrates, or nonwoven substrates. As the degree of crystallinity decreases, the hydroxyl groups of the polymer chains become less likely to align within the polymer structure, the polymer chains become more disordered, and the chains accumulate as amorphous aggregates, thereby reducing the availability of the ordered structure of the polymer. Consequently, it is predicted that the biodegradation activity will decrease in soil and / or compost biodegradation mechanisms where the polymer does not dissolve.While not strictly adhering to theory, the stereoregularity of the hydroxyl groups in polyvinyl alcohol polymers has a significant effect on their biodegradability. Therefore, substitution of functional groups other than hydroxyl groups (e.g., anionic AMPS functional groups, carboxylate groups, or lactone groups) is predicted to lower the biodegradability compared to polyvinyl alcohol copolymers with the same degree of hydrolysis, unless the functional group itself is also biodegradable. In this case, it is thought that the biodegradability of the polymer can be increased through substitution. Furthermore, although the biodegradability level of substituted polyvinyl alcohols may be lower than that of the corresponding homopolymers or copolymers, substituted polyvinyl alcohols are still expected to exhibit biodegradability.

[0078] Methods for determining biodegradation activity are publicly known in the art, as described, for example, in Chiellini et al., Progress in Polymer Science, Volume 28, Issue 6, 2003, pp. 963-1014, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Further methods and criteria can be found in ECHA's Annex XV Restriction Report - Microplastics, Version number 1, January 11, 2019, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Preferred criteria include OECD 301B (easily biodegradable), OECD 301B (accelerated biodegradability), OECD 302B (intrinsically biodegradable), OECD 311 (anaerobic), and ASTM D5988 (soil).

[0079] In exemplary embodiments, the fibers described herein may have standard readily biodegradable or accelerated biodegradability. As used herein, the term “easily biodegradable” refers to a criterion met when the material (e.g., fiber) reaches 60% biodegradation (mineralization) within 28 days from the start of testing, according to the OECD 301B test described in ECHA's Annex XV. As used herein, the term “accelerated biodegradability” refers to a criterion met when the material (e.g., fiber) reaches 60% biodegradation within 60 days from the start of testing, according to the OECD 301B test described in ECHA's Annex XV. In exemplary embodiments, the fiber meets the readily biodegradable criterion. Active treatment preparation

[0080] In exemplary embodiments, a water-soluble skin treatment article, more specifically a water-soluble core substrate, is configured to contain one or more active treatment formulations, such as skin treatment formulations or skin wellness formulations, and / or one or more auxiliary agents as described herein. Preferred examples generally include skin treatment agents, acne treatment agents, emollients, moisturizers, conditioners, anti-wrinkle agents, sunscreens (SPFs), and rinse aids, and alpha hydroxy acids neutralized in situ or in formulation to a specific pH. In exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulation is applied, arranged or coated on one or more surfaces of the water-soluble core substrate, or embedded in and / or bonded or adhered to the water-soluble core substrate. The water-soluble core substrate may include a single layer, for example, a single layer of a nonwoven core substrate, or it may include multiple layers, for example, sheets of nonwoven core substrates folded or stacked in a meandering arrangement to form layers in which the active treatment formulation is arranged between adjacent layers of water-soluble nonwoven core substrates. For example, an active treatment formulation may contain, but is not limited to, hyaluronic acid, aloe, chamomile extract, lactic acid, citric acid, hydrolyzed collagen, polysaccharides, peptides, surfactants, foaming agents, shampoos, conditioners, body washes, facial cleansers, skin lotions, skin treatments, body oils, fragrances, hair treatments, bath salts, essential oils, bath bombs, enzymes, cleansing agents, surfactants, emulsifiers, chelating agents, pH adjusters, builders, structuring agents, fragrance-free, fragrance-encased, preservatives, solvents, or minerals, and / or one or more of any ingredients suitable for inclusion in a skin treatment formulation, skin wellness formulation, or personal care formulation. Supplement

[0081] Generally, along with film-forming materials, foam-forming materials, and / or fiber-forming materials, the fibers, nonwoven substrates or webs, foam substrates, and / or water-soluble films of this disclosure may include, but are not limited to, plasticizers, plasticizer compatibilizers, surfactants, lubricants, release agents, fillers, bulking agents, crosslinking agents, antiblocking agents, antioxidants, detangulating agents, defoaming agents, nanoparticles such as layered silicate nanoclays (e.g., sodium montmorillonite), bleaching agents (e.g., sodium metabisulfite, bisulfite), Aversive agents such as sodium sulfate, bitter substances (e.g., denatonium salts, e.g., denatonium benzoate, denatonium saccharide, and denatonium chloride; sucrose octaacetate; quinine, flavonoids, e.g., quercetin and naringen; and quacinoids, e.g., quacin and brucine), and pungent substances (e.g., capsaicin, piperine, allyl isothiocyanate, and resinferatoxin), as well as other functional ingredients, may be included in amounts appropriate to their intended purpose. As used herein, unless otherwise specified, “auxiliaries” include secondary additives, processing agents, and activators. Such specific auxiliaries may be selected from those suitable for use in water-soluble fibers, non-water-soluble fibers, nonwoven webs, foams, or water-soluble films.

[0082] In exemplary embodiments, fibers, foams, and / or films may be additive-free. As used herein, unless otherwise specified, “additive-free” with respect to fibers means that the fibers contain less than about 0.01 wt.%, less than about 0.005 wt.%, or less than about 0.001 wt.%, based on the total weight of the fibers. As used herein, unless otherwise specified, “additive-free” with respect to nonwoven substrates or webs means that the nonwoven substrates or webs contain less than about 0.01 wt.%, less than about 0.005 wt.%, or less than about 0.001 wt.%, based on the total weight of the nonwoven substrates or webs. In exemplary embodiments, water-soluble fibers contain plasticizers. In exemplary embodiments, water-soluble fibers contain surfactants. In exemplary embodiments, non-water-soluble fibers contain plasticizers. In exemplary embodiments, non-water-soluble fibers contain surfactants. In exemplary embodiments, nonwoven substrates or webs contain plasticizers. In exemplary embodiments, the nonwoven fabric substrate or web contains a surfactant.

[0083] Plasticizers are liquids, solids, or semi-solids added to materials (usually resins or elastomers) to make them softer, more flexible (by lowering the glass transition temperature of the polymer), and easier to process. Alternatively, polymers can be internally plasticized by chemically modifying the polymer or monomer. Additionally or alternatively, polymers can be externally plasticized by adding a suitable plasticizer. Water is recognized as a very efficient plasticizer for PVOH and other polymers, including but not limited to water-soluble polymers. However, its usefulness is limited by the volatility of water, as polymer films need to have at least some degree of resistance (robustness) to a variety of ambient conditions, including low and high relative humidity.

[0084] Plasticizers may include, but are not limited to, glycerin, diglycerin, sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol up to 1000 MW, neopentyl glycol, trimethylolpropane, polyether polyols, sorbitol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol (MPDiol®), ethanolamine, and mixtures thereof.

[0085] Surfactants for use in films are well known in the art and can be suitably used in the fibers, foams, films, and / or compositions of this disclosure. Optionally, surfactants are included to aid in the dispersion of fibers during carding. Optionally, surfactants are included as treatment aids. Suitable surfactants may include nonionic, cationic, anionic, and amphoteric classes. Suitable surfactants include, but are not limited to, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, monoethanolamine, polyoxyethylene-modified polyoxypropylene glycol, alcohol ethoxylates, alkylphenol ethoxylates, tertiary acetylene glycols and alkanolamides (nonionic), polyoxyethylene-modified amines, quaternary ammonium salts and quaternary polyoxyethylene-modified amines (cationic), alkali metal salts of higher fatty acids containing about 8 to 24 carbon atoms, alkyl sulfates, alkyl polyethoxylate sulfates and alkylbenzene sulfonates (anionic), as well as amine oxides, N-alkyl betaines and sulfobetaines (amphoteric).Other suitable surfactants include sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate, lactic acid fatty acid esters of glycerin and propylene glycol, lactic acid esters of fatty acids, sodium alkyl sulfate, polysorbate 20, polysorbate 60, polysorbate 65, polysorbate 80, lecithin, acetylated fatty acid esters of glycerin and propylene glycol, and sodium lauryl sulfate. These include sulfates, acetylated fatty acid esters, myristyldimethylamine oxide, trimethyl tallowalkylammonium chloride, quaternary ammonium compounds, alkali metal salts of higher fatty acids containing about 8 to 24 carbon atoms, alkyl sulfates, alkyl polyethoxylate sulfates, alkylbenzene sulfonates, monoethanolamine, lauryl alcohol ethoxylate, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, sodium cocoyl isethionate, sodium lauryl sulfate, glucotain, phoenamid, cola lipids, cocamides, such as cocamide ethanolamine, ethylene oxide-based surfactants, saponified avocado and coconut oils, their salts, and any combination of the above. In exemplary embodiments, the surfactant includes cocamide. While not strictly theoretical, it is believed that cocamides can aid in foam formation and improve the foaming experience of articles containing personal care compositions. In various embodiments, the amount of surfactant in the fiber is in the range of approximately 0.01 wt.% to approximately 10 wt.%, approximately 0.1 wt.% to approximately 5 wt.%, approximately 1.0 wt.% to approximately 2.5 wt.%, approximately 0.01 wt.% to approximately 1.5 wt.%, approximately 0.1 wt.% to approximately 1 wt.%, approximately 0.01 wt.% to approximately 0.25 wt.%, or approximately 0.10 wt.% to 0.20 wt.%.

[0086] In exemplary embodiments, the nonwoven substrate or web, form, and / or film of the present disclosure may further include auxiliary agents such as exfoliants (chemical exfoliants and mechanical exfoliants), fragrances and / or scent microcapsules, aversive agents, surfactants, colorants, enzymes, skin conditioners, degreasing agents, and cosmetic agents, one or more of these auxiliary agents.

[0087] In exemplary embodiments, the auxiliaries are provided in or on one or more of the nonwoven web, foam, multiple fibers, and water-soluble film. In exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulation is provided on or in one or more of the nonwoven web, multiple fibers, and water-soluble film. In exemplary embodiments, one or more auxiliaries may be provided on the surface of the nonwoven web. In exemplary embodiments, one or more auxiliaries may be dispersed between the fibers of the nonwoven web. In exemplary embodiments, one or more auxiliaries may be dispersed on the surface of the nonwoven web. In exemplary embodiments, one or more auxiliaries may be dispersed within the fibers. In exemplary embodiments, one or more auxiliaries may be dispersed on the fibers. In exemplary embodiments, one or more auxiliaries may be provided on the surface of a water-soluble film.

[0088] Chemical exfoliants, mechanical exfoliants, fragrances and / or fragrance microcapsules, aversive agents, surfactants, colorants, proteins, peptides, enzymes, skin conditioners, degreasing agents, cosmetics, or combinations thereof, if present, may be provided in an amount of at least about 1 wt.% or in the range of about 1 wt.% to about 99 wt.% based on the weight of the polymer mixture (e.g., fiber-forming material or film-forming material). In exemplary embodiments, chemical exfoliants, mechanical exfoliants, fragrances and / or fragrance microcapsules, aversive agents, surfactants, colorants, enzymes, skin conditioners, degreasing agents, and / or cosmetics may be provided in an amount sufficient to provide the fiber and / or film with additional functions such as exfoliation of human skin. Chemical exfoliants, mechanical exfoliants, fragrances and / or fragrance microcapsules, aversive agents, surfactants, colorants, enzymes, skin conditioners, degreasing agents, cosmetics, or combinations thereof may take any desired form, including solids (e.g., powders, granules, crystals, flakes, or ribbons), liquids, warmed mixtures (mull), pastes, gases, etc., and may be encapsulated in microcapsules, etc., as necessary.

[0089] In certain embodiments, nonwoven substrates or webs, forms, and / or films may contain enzymes. Suitable enzymes include those classified into one of the six conventional categories by the Enzyme Committee (EC), namely EC1 oxidoreductases (catalyzing oxidation / reduction reactions), EC2 transferases (transferring functional groups, e.g., methyl or phosphate groups), EC3 hydrolases (catalyzing hydrolysis of various bonds), EC4 lyases (cleaving various bonds by means other than hydrolysis and oxidation), EC5 isomerases (catalyzing intramolecular isomerization changes), and EC6 ligases (covalently linking two molecules). Examples of such enzymes include EC1 dehydrogenases and oxidases, EC2 transaminases and kinases, EC3 lipases, cellulases, amylases, mannanases, and peptidases (also known as proteases or protein-degrading enzymes), EC4 decarboxylases, EC5 isomerases and mutases, and EC6 synthetases and synthases. Suitable enzymes in each category are described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 9,394,092, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In certain embodiments, enzymes may include bromelain (pineapple extract), papain (papaya), ficin (fig), actinidin (kiwi), hyaluronidase, lipase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, tyrosinase, alkaline phosphatase, or combinations thereof. In exemplary embodiments, enzymes may be encapsulated, for example, in the form of nanoemulsions, nanocapsules, granules, or combinations thereof.

[0090] The enzymes used herein are intended to be derived from any suitable source or combination of sources, such as bacterial, fungal, plant, or animal sources. In one embodiment, a mixture of two or more enzymes is derived from at least two different types of sources. For example, a mixture of proteases and lipases may be derived from bacterial (protease) and fungal (lipase) sources.

[0091] Enzymes for use herein, including but not limited to the enzyme classes or members described herein, are enzymes that act under alkaline pH conditions, for example, in the pH range of about 8 to about 11. Enzymes for use herein, including but not limited to the enzyme classes or members described herein, are enzymes that act at temperatures in the range of about 5°C to about 45°C.

[0092] In exemplary embodiments, the nonwoven fabric substrate or web, foam, and / or film may contain proteins and / or peptides. Suitable proteins and / or peptides may include, but are not limited to, collagen and / or collagen peptides, or amino acids such as aspartic acid, glutamic acid, serine, histidine, glycine, threonine, arginine, alanine, tyrosine, cysteine, valine, methionine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, hydroxyproline, or proline.

[0093] In exemplary embodiments, nonwoven substrates or webs, forms, and / or films may contain colorants. Suitable colorants may include pH indicators (e.g., thymol blue, bromothymol, thymolphthalein, and thymolphthalein), moisture / water indicators (e.g., hydrochromic inks or leuco dyes), or indicator dyes such as thermochromic inks, which change color as temperature rises and / or falls. Suitable colorants include, but are not limited to, triphenylmethane dyes, azo dyes, anthraquinone dyes, perylene dyes, indigoid dyes, food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic (FD&C) colorants, organic pigments, inorganic pigments, or combinations thereof. Examples of colorants include, but are not limited to, FD&C Red 40, Red 3, FD&C Black 3, Black 2, mica-based pearlescent pigments, FD&C Yellow 6, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, titanium dioxide (food grade), brilliant black, and combinations thereof. Other examples of suitable colorants can be found in U.S. Patent No. 5,002,789, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0094] Other embodiments of the Disclosure may include one or more fragrances in a nonwoven substrate or web, form, and / or film. As used herein, the term “fragrance” means any applicable material that is sufficiently volatile to produce a scent. Embodiments including a fragrance may include a fragrance that is pleasant to humans, or alternatively, a fragrance that is repulsive to humans, animals, and / or insects. Preferred fragrances include, but are not limited to, fruit fragrances including lemon, apple, cherry, grape, pear, pineapple, orange, strawberry, and raspberry, musk, and floral fragrances including, but are not limited to, lavender-like, rose-like, iris-like, and carnation-like. If necessary, the fragrance is a fragrance that is not a flavoring agent. Other fragrances include, but are not limited to, herbal fragrances including rosemary, thyme, and sage, and forest fragrances derived from pine, spruce, and other woody scents. Fragrances may be obtained from a variety of oils, including but not limited to essential oils, or from plant materials, including but not limited to peppermint and spearmint. Suitable fragrant oils can be found in U.S. Patent No. 6,458,754, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.Suitable fragrance oils include, but are not limited to, 4-(2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexa-1-enyl)-2-en-4-one, acetaldehyde phenylethyl (phenyletheyl) propyl acetal, 2,6,10-trimethyl-9-undecenal, 2-propenyl hexanoate, 1-octen-3-ol, trans-anethole, isobutyl(z)-2-methyl-2-butenoate, anisaldehyde diethyl acetal, 3-methyl-5-propylcyclohezen-1-one, and 2,4-dimethyl-3-syl It contains chlorhexene-1-carbaldehyde, trans-4-decenal, decanal, 2-pentylcyclopentanone, ethyl anthranilate, eugenol, 3-(3-isopropylphenyl)butanol (butanoal), methyl 2-octinoate, isoeugenol, cis-3-hexenylmethyl carbonate, linalool, methyl-2-noninonate, 2-hydroxymethyl benzoate, nonal, octanal, 2-nonenennitrile, 4-nonanolide, 9-decen-1-ol, and 10-undecen-1-al. Applicable fragrances can also be found in U.S. Patents No. 4,534,981, 5,112,688, 5,145,842, 6,844,302, and Perfumes Cosmetics and Soaps, Second Edition, edited by WA Poucher, 1959, all of which are incorporated by reference thereto. These fragrances include acacia, cassie, chypre, cyclamen, fern, gardenia, hawthorn, heliotrope, honeysuckle, hyacinth, jasmine, lilac, lily, magnolia, mimosa, daffodil, freshly cut hay, orange blossom, orchid, reseda, sweet pea, clover (trefle), tuberose, vanilla, violet, wallflower, etc., or combinations thereof.

[0095] Fragrances may contain fragrances. Fragrances may include pure fragrances, encapsulated fragrances, or mixtures thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the fragrance comprises pure fragrances. A portion of the fragrance may be encapsulated in a core-shell capsule. In other embodiments, the fragrance is not encapsulated in a core / shell capsule.

[0096] As used herein, the term “fragrance” includes fragrance raw materials (PRMs) and fragrance accords. “Fragrance raw material” as used herein refers to a compound having a molecular weight of at least about 100 g / mol and useful, alone or in combination with other fragrance raw materials, for imparting aroma, fragrance, essence, or scent. As used herein, the terms “fragrance component” and “fragrance raw material” are interchangeable. “Accord” as used herein refers to a mixture of two or more PRMs. In exemplary embodiments, a fragrance accord, fragrance raw material, or fragrance may be encapsulated in a microcapsule, which is referred to herein as a “fragrance microcapsule.”

[0097] Typical PRMs include, among others, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, esters, ethers, nitrites, and alkenes, such as terpenes. A general list of PRMs can be found in various references, e.g., "Perfume and Flavor Chemicals," Vols. I and II; Steffen Arctander Allured Pub. Co. (1994) and "Perfumes: Art, Science and Technology," Miller, PM and Lamparsky, D., Blackie Academic and Professional (1994). PRMs are characterized by their boiling point (BP) and their octanol / water partition coefficient (P), measured at atmospheric pressure (760 mmHg). Based on these characteristics, PRMs can be classified into quadrant I, quadrant II, quadrant III, or quadrant IV fragrances.

[0098] In exemplary embodiments, nonwoven webs, foams, and / or films may contain exfoliants. In exemplary embodiments, exfoliants may include chemical or mechanical exfoliants. Mechanical exfoliants suitable for use herein include, but are not limited to, apricot shells, sugar, oatmeal, salt, silica, diatomaceous earth, clay, aluminum hydrate, PVOH microbeads, pumice, or combinations thereof. Chemical exfoliants suitable for use herein include, but are not limited to, alpha hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids, enzymes, salicylic acid, glycolic acid, citric acid, malic acid, or combinations thereof.

[0099] In certain embodiments, aversive agents, surfactants, colorants, enzymes, skin conditioners, degreasing agents, cosmetics, or combinations thereof are encapsulated and allowed for controlled release. Suitable microcapsules may contain or be made from one or more of the following: melamine formaldehyde, polyurethane, urea formaldehyde, chitosan, polymethyl methacrylate, polystyrene, polysulfone, polytetrahydrofuran, gelatin, gum arabic, starch, polyvinylpyrrolidone, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, methylcellulose, arabinogalactan, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylic acid, ethylcellulose, polyethylene, polymethacrylate, polyamide, poly(ethylene vinyl acetate), cellulose nitrate, silicone, poly(lactideco-glycolide), paraffin, carnauba wax, whale wax, beeswax, stearic acid, stearyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate, shellac, cellulose acetate phthalate, zein, and combinations thereof. In one type of embodiment, the microcapsules are characterized by an average particle size of at least about 0.1 microns, or for example, in the range of about 0.1 microns to about 200 microns (e.g., Dv50). In another embodiment, the microcapsules can form aggregates of individual particles, for example, the individual particles having an average particle size of at least about 0.1 microns, or in the range of about 0.1 microns to about 200 microns. Water-soluble fibers

[0100] Water-soluble fibers include fibers and / or fiber-forming materials made from any material that dissolves at a temperature of 80°C or below in 300 seconds or less, as determined by MSTM-205, when provided as the sole resin in a film or foam, or the sole fiber-forming material in a nonwoven fabric. Water-soluble fibers may include a single water-soluble polymer or a blend of water-soluble polymers. Suitable water-soluble polymers include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl alcohol homopolymers, polyvinyl alcohol copolymers, modified polyvinyl alcohol copolymers, polyacrylates, water-soluble acrylate copolymers, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethyleneimine, pullulan, water-soluble natural polymers including, but not limited to, guar gum, acacia gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, and starch, water-soluble polymer derivatives including, but not limited to, modified starch, ethoxylated starch, and hydroxypropylated starch, copolymers of the foregoing, and any combination of the foregoing. Further water-soluble fibers may include polyalkylene oxides, polyacrylamides, polyacrylic acids and their salts, cellulose, cellulose ethers, cellulose esters, celluloseamides, polyvinyl acetate, polycarboxylic acids and their salts, polyamino acids, polyamides, gelatin, methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose and its salts, dextrin, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, maltodextrin, polymethacrylates, and any combination thereof. In exemplary embodiments, water-soluble fibers may include PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, modified PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, or combinations thereof. In exemplary embodiments, water-soluble fibers may include a single PVOH copolymer fiber-forming material or a blend of PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials. In exemplary embodiments, water-soluble fibers may include hot water-soluble PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials. In further embodiments, water-soluble fibers may include PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials having a viscosity in the range of 5 cP to 23 cP and a degree of hydrolysis in the range of 86% to 92%.

[0101] In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble fiber may include the above-mentioned active treatment formulation and / or auxiliary agent. The active treatment formulation and / or auxiliary agents may be substantially omitted. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble fiber may contain the plasticizer described above. The total amount of non-water plasticizer supplied to water-soluble fibers may range from approximately 1 wt.% to approximately 45 wt.%, or approximately 5 wt.% to approximately 45 wt.%, or approximately 10 wt.% to approximately 40 wt.%, or approximately 20 wt.% to approximately 30 wt.%, or approximately 1 wt.% to approximately 4 wt.%, or approximately 1.5 wt.% to approximately 3.5 wt.%, or approximately 2.0 wt.% to approximately 3.0 wt.%, for example, approximately 1 wt.%, approximately 2.5 wt.%, approximately 5 wt.%, approximately 10 wt.%, approximately 15 wt.%, approximately 20 wt.%, approximately 25 wt.%, approximately 30 wt.%, approximately 35 wt.%, or approximately 40 wt.% based on the total fiber weight. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble fiber comprises glycerin, sorbitol, or a combination thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble fiber comprises glycerin. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble fiber comprises sorbitol. In certain embodiments, the water-soluble fiber may contain, for example, about 10 wt.% glycerin based on the total fiber weight, and, for example, about 5 wt.% sorbitol based on the total fiber weight.

[0102] In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble fiber may contain the surfactant described above. In various embodiments, the amount of surfactant in the water-soluble fiber is in the range of about 0.01 wt.% to about 2.5 wt.%, about 0.1 wt.% to about 2.5 wt.%, about 1.0 wt.% to about 2.0 wt.%, about 0.01 wt.% to about 0.25 wt.%, or about 0.10 wt.% to 0.20 wt.%.

[0103] In exemplary embodiments, any of the active treatment formulations and / or auxiliary agents disclosed herein may be added to the fibers of the present disclosure. In improved forms of the embodiments described above, the active treatment formulations and / or auxiliary agents may be added to the fiber-forming material before fiber formation so that the auxiliary agents are dispersed in the fibers. Additionally and / or alternatively, the active treatment formulations and / or auxiliary agents may be added to the surface of the fibers after fiber formation (e.g., dispersed on the fibers).

[0104] When colorants are included in water-soluble fibers, they can be provided in amounts ranging from 0.01% to 25% by weight of the polymer mixture, for example, 0.02%, 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, and 24% by weight of the polymer mixture. water-insoluble fibers

[0105] Water-insoluble fibers include fibers and / or fiber-forming materials made from any material that does not dissolve in 300 seconds or less at a temperature of 80°C or less, as determined by MSTM-205, when provided as the sole film-forming material in a film or as the sole fiber-forming material in a nonwoven web or foam. Water-insoluble fibers may include a sole water-insoluble polymer fiber-forming material or a blend of water-insoluble polymer fiber-forming materials. Suitable water-insoluble fibers and / or water-insoluble fiber-forming materials include, but are not limited to, cotton, polyester, polyethylene (e.g., high-density polyethylene and low-density polyethylene), polypropylene, wood pulp, fluff pulp, abaca, viscose, polylactic acid, polyester, nylon 6, insoluble cellulose, insoluble starch, hemp, jute, flax, ramie, sisal, bagasse, banana fiber, lace bark, silk, sinew, cutgood, wool, sea silk, mohair, angora, cashmere, collagen, actin, nylon, dacron, rayon, bamboo fiber, modal, diacetate fiber, triacetate fiber, and combinations thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the water-insoluble fiber-forming material and / or water-insoluble fiber includes one or more of the following: cotton, linen, jute, flax, ramie, sisal, bagasse, banana, lace bark, silk, sinew, cutgood, wool, sea silk, mohair, angora, cashmere, collagen, actin, nylon, dacron, rayon, bamboo, modal, diacetate fiber, triacetate fiber, or combinations thereof.

[0106] In exemplary embodiments, the water-insoluble fiber may contain the above-mentioned auxiliary agents. In exemplary embodiments, the water-insoluble fiber may substantially not contain the above-mentioned auxiliary agents. In exemplary embodiments, the water-insoluble fiber may contain the above-mentioned plasticizer. The total amount of non-aqueous plasticizer provided in the non-water-soluble fiber may range from about 1 wt.% to about 45 wt.%, or about 5 wt.% to about 45 wt.%, or about 10 wt.% to about 40 wt.%, or about 20 wt.% to about 30 wt.%, or about 1 wt.% to about 4 wt.%, or about 1.5 wt.% to about 3.5 wt.%, or about 2.0 wt.% to about 3.0 wt.%, for example, about 1 wt.%, about 2.5 wt.%, about 5 wt.%, about 10 wt.%, about 15 wt.%, about 20 wt.%, about 25 wt.%, about 30 wt.%, about 35 wt.%, or about 40 wt.% based on the total fiber weight. In exemplary embodiments, the non-water-soluble fiber may include glycerin, sorbitol, or a combination thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the water-insoluble fiber contains glycerin. In exemplary embodiments, the water-insoluble fiber contains sorbitol. In certain embodiments, the water-insoluble fiber may contain a plasticizer such as about 10 wt% glycerin and about 5 wt% sorbitol based on the total fiber weight, for example.

[0107] In exemplary embodiments, the water-insoluble fiber may contain the surfactant described above. In various embodiments, the amount of surfactant in the water-soluble fiber is in the range of about 0.01 wt.% to about 2.5 wt.%, about 0.1 wt.% to about 2.5 wt.%, about 1.0 wt.% to about 2.0 wt.%, about 0.01 wt.% to about 0.25 wt.%, or about 0.10 wt.% to 0.20 wt.%.

[0108] In exemplary embodiments, any of the auxiliary agents disclosed herein can be added to the fibers of this disclosure. In improved embodiments of the above embodiments, the auxiliary agent can be added to the fiber-forming material before fiber formation, and therefore the auxiliary agent can be added to the surface of the fibers after fiber formation. In improved embodiments of the above embodiments, the auxiliary agent can be added to the surface of the fibers after fiber formation.

[0109] When colorants are included in water-insoluble fibers, they can be provided in amounts ranging from 0.01% to 25% by weight of the polymer mixture, for example, 0.02%, 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, and 24% by weight of the polymer mixture. Nonwoven web or nonwoven substrate

[0110] The nonwoven webs or nonwoven substrates of the present disclosure may be water-soluble, water-insoluble, or at least partially water-insoluble. A single unit dose article of the present disclosure may include a nonwoven web, at least a portion of which is soluble in water at temperatures in the range of about 0°C to about 20°C according to MSTM-205, or at least a portion of which is insoluble in water at or below 20°C according to MSTM-205, or the nonwoven web is insoluble in water at or below 20°C according to MSTM-205, or the nonwoven web is soluble in water at temperatures in the range of about 0°C to about 20°C according to MSTM-205. If a certain fiber type is supplied to a nonwoven fabric as the sole fiber type, and the nonwoven web consisting of that fiber type contains multiple fibers of a fiber type that is soluble (or not soluble) at a given temperature according to MSTM-205, then it will be understood that "at least a portion" of the nonwoven web will be soluble (or not soluble) at that given temperature.

[0111] The nonwoven webs of this disclosure comprise a plurality of fibers. A nonwoven web refers to an arrangement of fibers that are bonded together and are neither woven nor knitted. The plurality of fibers can be arranged in any orientation. In exemplary embodiments, the plurality of fibers are arranged randomly (i.e., have no orientation). In exemplary embodiments, the plurality of fibers are arranged in a unidirectional orientation. In exemplary embodiments, the plurality of fibers are arranged in a bidirectional orientation. In some embodiments, the plurality of fibers are multidirectional and have different arrangements in different areas of the nonwoven web.

[0112] Multiple fibers in any given nonwoven web may include any fiber-forming materials disclosed herein. A nonwoven web may include (1) a single fiber type comprising a single fiber-forming material, (2) a single fiber type comprising a blend of fiber-forming materials, (3) a blend of fiber types in which each fiber type comprises a single fiber-forming material, (4) a blend of fiber types in which each fiber type comprises a blend of fiber-forming materials, or (5) a blend of fiber types in which each fiber type comprises a single fiber-forming material or a blend of fiber-forming materials. In exemplary embodiments comprising a blend of fiber types, different fiber types may differ in length-to-diameter ratio (L / D), tenacity, shape, stiffness, elasticity, solubility, melting point, glass transition temperature (T). g ), there may be differences in one or more of the chemical properties of the fiber-forming material and the group of colors. In certain embodiments, the plurality of fibers may include two or more types of water-soluble fibers. In exemplary embodiments, the plurality of fibers may include at least one fiber type comprising at least one type of water-soluble fiber-forming material and at least one fiber type comprising at least one type of non-water-soluble fiber. In exemplary embodiments, the plurality of fibers may include two or more fiber types comprising at least one type of non-water-soluble fiber-forming material.

[0113] In exemplary embodiments, the nonwoven web may further include any active treatment formulations and / or auxiliaries disclosed herein for fibers and / or films. In exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulations and / or auxiliaries may be added to the fibers themselves, to the nonwoven web during carding, to the nonwoven web before bonding (e.g., after carding), to the nonwoven web after bonding, or a combination thereof. Active treatment formulations and / or auxiliaries added to the fibers during carding may be dispersed throughout the nonwoven web. Active treatment formulations and / or auxiliaries added to the nonwoven web after carding, but before bonding, may be selectively added to one or both sides of the nonwoven web.

[0114] The active treatment formulation and / or auxiliary agent can be applied by any suitable means to one or more faces or surfaces of a nonwoven web or an article containing it, such as a packet. In exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulation and / or auxiliary agent is in powder form. In improved embodiments of the above embodiments, one or more stationary powder spray guns are used to guide a stream of powder toward the web from one or more directions while the web is moved through a coating strip by a belt conveyor. In exemplary embodiments, the web or packet is transported through a suspension of powder in the air. In exemplary embodiments, the web is tumble-mixed with the powder in a trough-like device. In exemplary embodiments, which can be combined with any other embodiments, electrostatic force is used to enhance the attractive force between the powder and the web. This type of process may be based on negatively charging the powder particles and directing these charged particles toward a grounded web. In other alternative embodiments, the powder is applied to the web by a secondary moving tool which includes a rotating brush in contact with the powder, or by a powder-covered glove which can move the powder from a container to the web. In yet another embodiment, the powder is applied by dissolving or suspending it in a non-aqueous solvent or carrier, then atomizing it and spraying it onto the web. In one embodiment, the solvent or carrier then evaporates, leaving the activator powder behind. In certain embodiments, the powder is applied to the web in a precise dose. In these embodiments, a closed-system dry lubricant application mechanism, such as PekuTECH's PM 700 D powder applicator, is utilized. In this process, the powder is supplied to the feed trough of the application mechanism, either in batch or continuous order as needed. The web is moved from the output belt of a standard rotary drum pouching machine to the conveyor belt of the powder applicator, where a controlled dose of powder is applied to the web. The web can then be transported to a suitable packaging process.

[0115] In exemplary embodiments where the auxiliary agent is in liquid form or solution, the aforementioned auxiliary agent can be dispersed between fibers, or dispersed on the surface or surface of a nonwoven web, or dispersed in combination thereof, for example by spin casting, spraying of a solution such as an aerosolized solution, roll coating, flow coating, curtain coating, extrusion, knife coating, and combinations thereof.

[0116] In exemplary embodiments, active treatment formulations and / or auxiliary agents, such as chemical exfoliants, mechanical exfoliants, fragrances and / or fragrance microcapsules, aversive agents, surfactants, colorants, enzymes, skin conditioners, degreasing agents, cosmetics, or combinations thereof, when present in the nonwoven web, are present in amounts ranging from at least about 1 wt.% to about 99 wt.% to provide further functionality to the nonwoven web. Chemical exfoliants, mechanical exfoliants, fragrances and / or fragrance microcapsules, aversive agents, surfactants, colorants, enzymes, skin conditioners, degreasing agents, cosmetics, or combinations thereof can take any desired form, including solids (e.g., powders, granules, crystals, flakes, or ribbons), liquids, heated mixtures, pastes, gases, etc., and can be encapsulated as needed.

[0117] In exemplary embodiments, nonwoven webs may be colored, tinted, and / or dyed to provide improved aesthetic effects compared to water-soluble films. Suitable colorants for use in nonwoven webs may include pH indicators (e.g., thymol blue, bromothymol, thymolphthalein, and thymolphthalein), water / water indicators (e.g., hydrochromic inks or leuco dyes), or indicator dyes such as thermochromic inks, which change color as the temperature rises and / or falls. Suitable colorants include, but are not limited to, triphenylmethane dyes, azo dyes, anthraquinone dyes, perylene dyes, indigoid dyes, food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic (FD&C) colorants, organic pigments, inorganic pigments, or combinations thereof. Examples of colorants, though not limited to them, include FD&C Red 40, Red 3, FD&C Black 3, Black 2, mica-based pearlescent pigments, FD&C Yellow 6, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, titanium dioxide (food grade), brilliant black, and combinations thereof.

[0118] In exemplary embodiments, the nonwoven web may contain any of the surfactants disclosed herein. In exemplary embodiments, the nonwoven web may contain one or more of the following: sodium cocoyl isethionate, glucotaine, phenamide, cola lipids, cocamides, such as cocamide ethanolamine, ethylene oxide surfactants, and saponified avocado and coconut oils.

[0119] The nonwoven webs of the present disclosure may have any thickness. Preferred thicknesses may include, but are not limited to, about 5 microns (μm) to about 10,000 μm (1 cm), about 5 μm to about 5,000 μm, about 5 μm to about 1,000 μm, about 5 μm to about 500 μm, about 200 μm to about 500 μm, about 5 μm to about 200 μm, about 20 μm to about 100 μm, or about 40 μm to about 90 μm, or about 50 μm to 80 μm, or about or about 60 μm to 65 μm, for example 50 μm, 65 μm, 76 μm, or 88 μm. The nonwoven webs of the present disclosure may be characterized as high loft or low loft. Loft refers to the ratio of thickness to mass per unit area (i.e., basis weight). High-loft nonwoven webs may be characterized by a high ratio of thickness to mass per unit area. As used herein, “high-loft” refers to nonwoven webs of the present disclosure having a basis weight and thickness greater than 200 μm as defined herein. The thickness of a nonwoven web can be determined according to ASTM D5729-97, ASTM D5736, and / or ISO 9073-2:1995, and may include, for example, applying a load of 2N to the nonwoven web and measuring its thickness. High-loft materials can be used according to methods known in the art, such as cross-wrapping, which involves folding the unbonded web itself using a cross-wrapper to increase its loft and basis weight. While not adhering to theory, the solubility of nonwoven webs is considered to be independent of the web's thickness, in contrast to water-soluble films, whose solubility may depend on the film's thickness. In this respect, since individual fibers provide a higher surface area than water-soluble films, regardless of the thickness of the nonwoven web, the parameter that limits water access to the fibers and thereby limits fiber dissolution is considered to be the basis weight (i.e., fiber density in the nonwoven fabric).

[0120] Generally, the surface roughness of nonwoven webs is greater than that of water-soluble films, thereby reducing surface contact with the nonwoven web. As a result, the coefficient of dynamic friction and the ratio of static friction to dynamic friction for the nonwoven webs of this disclosure are lower than those for water-soluble films. Advantageously, this surface roughness can provide consumers with improved feel (i.e., a cloth-like feel rather than a rubbery feel), improved aesthetics (i.e., less gloss than water-soluble films), and / or facilitate processability where the web needs to be stretched along the surface of processing equipment / molds. Therefore, in exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble and / or non-water-soluble fibers are rough enough to provide surface roughness to the resulting nonwoven web without generating resistance.

[0121] The solubility in water of a nonwoven web according to this disclosure is a function of the type of fiber used to prepare the web and the basis weight of the web. While not strictly theoretical, it is generally assumed that the solubility profile of a nonwoven web is the same as the solubility profile of the fiber used to prepare the web, and the solubility profile of the fiber is generally the same as the solubility profile of the polymer from which the fiber is prepared. For example, in the case of a nonwoven web containing PVOH fibers, the degree of hydrolysis of the PVOH polymer can be selected such that it also affects the water solubility of the nonwoven web. As the degree of hydrolysis of the PVOH polymer increases from partial hydrolysis (88% DH) to complete hydrolysis (≥98% DH) at a given temperature, the water solubility of the polymer generally decreases. Therefore, in exemplary embodiments, the nonwoven web may be cold water solubility. For a copolymer (vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol) polymer that does not contain any other monomers (e.g., not copolymerized with anionic monomers), a cold-water-soluble web that is soluble in water at temperatures below 10°C may contain PVOH fibers having a degree of hydrolysis in the range of about 75% to about 90%, or about 75% to about 89%, or about 80% to about 90%, or about 85% to about 90%, or about 90% to about 99.5%. In other exemplary embodiments, the nonwoven web may be hot-water-soluble. For example, for a copolymer (vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol) polymer that does not contain any other monomers (e.g., not copolymerized with anionic monomers), a hot-water-soluble web may be soluble in water at a temperature of at least about 60°C by containing PVOH fibers having a degree of hydrolysis of at least about 98%.

[0122] Modifying PVOH polymers generally increases their solubility. Therefore, it is predicted that a nonwoven web or film prepared from a modified PVOH polymer at a given temperature will have higher solubility than a nonwoven web or film prepared from a PVOH copolymer having the same degree of hydrolysis as the modified PVOH copolymer. Following these trends, nonwoven webs with specific solubility characteristics can be designed by blending polymers into fibers and / or fibers into the nonwoven web. Furthermore, as described herein, a nonwoven web may contain multiple fibers, and these fibers may include two or more fiber types with differing solubility.

[0123] Inclusion of non-water-soluble fibers and / or non-water-soluble fiber-forming materials in multiple fibers of a nonwoven web can also be used to design nonwoven webs with specific solubility and / or extended release properties. While not strictly theoretical, it is generally believed that as the weight percentage of non-water-soluble fibers in a nonwoven web increases (relative to the total weight of the nonwoven web), the solubility of the nonwoven web generally decreases, and the extended release properties of the pouch containing the nonwoven web generally increase. When a nonwoven web containing water-soluble and non-water-soluble fibers comes into contact with water at or above the dissolution temperature of the water-soluble fibers, it begins to disperse as the water-soluble fibers dissolve, thereby causing the web structure to collapse and / or increasing the pore size of the pores in the nonwoven web. The greater the collapse of the web structure or the increase in pore size, the more rapidly the active treatment formulation is released. Similarly, extended release of active treatment formulations in nonwoven webs of the present disclosure can be achieved by using blends of water-soluble fibers having different solubility properties and / or different dissolution temperatures. As fibers that dissolve more rapidly dissolve, thereby causing the web to collapse, less soluble fibers are exposed to a larger surface area, which promotes the dissolution of less soluble fibers and the release of the active treatment formulation. In exemplary embodiments where the nonwoven web includes water-soluble and non-water-soluble fibers, the ratio of soluble fibers to non-water-soluble fibers is not particularly limited. Water-soluble fibers may constitute about 1% to about 99%, about 20% to about 80%, about 40% to about 90%, about 50% to about 90%, or about 60% to about 90% by weight of the total weight of the fibers, and non-water-soluble fibers may constitute about 1% to about 99%, about 20% to about 80%, about 10% to about 60%, about 10% to about 50%, or about 10% to about 40% by weight of the total weight of the fibers. In exemplary embodiments, the fibers include about 10% to about 80% water-soluble fibers by weight, based on the total weight of the fibers, with the remainder being non-water-soluble fibers.

[0124] In exemplary embodiments, the nonwoven webs, multiple fibers, foams, water-soluble films, or combinations thereof disclosed herein may include biodegradable polymers. In certain embodiments, the multiple fibers may include biodegradable, water-insoluble fiber-forming materials. In exemplary embodiments, the multiple fibers may include a first fiber that is a water-insoluble biodegradable fiber and a second fiber that is soluble in water at temperatures of about 10°C to about 20°C according to MSTM-205, or insoluble in water at temperatures of about 30°C or below according to MSTM-205. In exemplary embodiments, the nonwoven web is water-insoluble and biodegradable.

[0125] In exemplary embodiments, the nonwoven web is biodegradable. Where the nonwoven web is said to be biodegradable as used herein, at least 50% of the nonwoven web is biodegradable, and for example, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, or 100% of the nonwoven web is biodegradable.

[0126] The nonwoven webs disclosed herein may comprise a plurality of fibers, including a first fiber type and a second fiber type, wherein the first fiber type and the second fiber type are characterized by diameter, length, tenacity, shape, stiffness, elasticity, solubility, melting point, and glass transition temperature (T g), have differences in chemical composition, color, or combinations thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the first fiber type may include PVOH homopolymer fiber-forming materials, PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, modified PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, or combinations thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the first fiber type may include two or more PVOH homopolymer fiber-forming materials, two or more PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, one PVOH copolymer fiber-forming material, or combinations thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the second fiber type may include PVOH homopolymer fiber-forming materials, PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, or combinations thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the second fiber type may include two or more PVOH homopolymer fiber-forming materials, two or more PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, two or more modified PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, or combinations thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the first fiber type and / or the second fiber type are water-insoluble fiber-forming materials. In exemplary embodiments, the first fiber type may include a water-insoluble polymer fiber-forming material, and the second fiber type may include a polyvinyl alcohol fiber-forming material, which, when provided as the sole fiber-forming material for a nonwoven web or as a film, results in a web or film that is soluble in water at temperatures in the range of about 0°C to about 20°C according to MSTM-205. In exemplary embodiments, the first fiber type may include a water-insoluble polymer fiber-forming material, and the second fiber type may include a PVOH homopolymer or copolymer fiber-forming material, which, when provided as the sole fiber-forming material for a nonwoven web or as a film, results in a web or film that is not soluble in water at or below 20°C according to MSTM-205.In exemplary embodiments, the first fiber type includes two or more polyvinyl alcohol copolymer fiber-forming materials, two or more modified polyvinyl alcohol copolymer fiber-forming materials, or a combination of polyvinyl alcohol copolymer fiber-forming materials and modified polyvinyl alcohol copolymer fiber-forming materials. In exemplary embodiments, the second fiber type includes two or more polyvinyl alcohol copolymer fiber-forming materials, two or more modified polyvinyl alcohol copolymer fiber-forming materials, or a combination of polyvinyl alcohol copolymer fiber-forming materials and modified polyvinyl alcohol copolymer fiber-forming materials.

[0127] Multiple fibers contained in the nonwoven web of the present disclosure may have any tenacity. Fiber tenacity correlates with fiber roughness. As fiber tenacity decreases, fiber roughness increases. Fibers used to prepare the nonwoven web of the present disclosure have tenacities of approximately 1 to approximately 100 cN / decitex or approximately 1 to approximately 75 cN / decitex or approximately 1 to approximately 50 cN / decitex or approximately 1 to approximately 45 cN / decitex or approximately 1 to approximately 40 cN / decitex or approximately 1 to approximately 35 cN / decitex or approximately 1 to approximately 30 cN / decitex or approximately 1 to approximately 25 cN / decitex or approximately 1 to approximately 20 cN / decitex or approximately 1 to approximately 15 cN / decitex or approximately 1 to approximately 10 cN / decitex or approximately 3 to approximately 8 cN / decitex or approximately 4 to approximately 8 cN / decitex or approximately 6 It can have a tenacity in the range of approximately 8 cN / decitex, approximately 4 to approximately 7 cN / decitex, approximately 10 to approximately 20, approximately 10 to approximately 18, or approximately 10 to approximately 16, or approximately 1 cN / decitex, approximately 2 cN / decitex, approximately 3 cN / decitex, approximately 4 cN / decitex, approximately 5 cN / decitex, approximately 6 cN / decitex, approximately 7 cN / decitex, approximately 8 cN / decitex, approximately 9 cN / decitex, approximately 10 cN / decitex, approximately 11 cN / decitex, approximately 12 cN / decitex, approximately 13 cN / decitex, approximately 14 cN / decitex, or approximately 15 cN / decitex. In an exemplary embodiment, multiple fibers may have a tenacity ranging from about 3 cN / decitex to about 15 cN / decitex, or about 5 cN / decitex to about 12 cN / decitex, or about 5 cN / decitex to about 10 cN / decitex.

[0128] The tenacity of a nonwoven web may be the same as or different from the tenacity of the multiple fibers used to prepare the web. While not strictly theoretical, the tenacity of a nonwoven web is generally considered to be related to its strength, with higher tenacity resulting in greater strength. The tenacity of a nonwoven web can be modified by using fibers with different tenacities. The tenacity of a nonwoven web can also be affected by processing. The nonwoven webs of this disclosure have relatively high tenacity, meaning they are self-supporting webs that can be used as the sole material for preparing articles and / or pouches. In contrast, nonwoven webs prepared according to meltblown, electrospinning, and / or spin-spinning processes may have low tenacity and may not be self-supporting or suitable for use as the sole web for forming articles or pouches.

[0129] The fibers used to prepare the nonwoven webs of this disclosure can have any fineness. Fiber fineness correlates with how many fibers are present in the cross-section of a yarn of a given thickness. Fiber fineness can be measured by linear mass density, which is a measure of the ratio of fiber mass per unit length. The main physical unit of linear mass density is 1 tex, which is equal to 1000 m of fiber weighing 1 g. The decitex unit is used to represent 1 g / 10,000 m of fiber. The linear mass density can be selected to provide a nonwoven web having a suitable stiffness / feel, torsional stiffness, light reflection and interaction, absorption of dyes and / or other active substances / additives, ease of fiber spinning in the manufacturing process, and uniformity of the finished article. As the linear mass density of the fibers increases, the resulting nonwoven exhibits higher uniformity, improved tensile strength, extensibility, and gloss. Additionally, and without being bound by theory, based on density, finer fibers are thought to have a slower dissolution time compared to thicker fibers. Furthermore, and without being bound by theory, when a blend of fiber types is used, the average linear mass density can be determined using a weighted average of the individual fiber types. Fibers can be characterized as extrafine (decitex ≤ 1.22), fine (1.22 ≤ decitex ≤ 1.54), medium-fine (1.54 ≤ decitex ≤ 1.93), slightly coarse (1.93 ≤ decitex ≤ 2.32), and coarse (decitex ≥ 2.32). Nonwoven webs of this disclosure may contain extrafine, fine, medium-fine, slightly coarse, or combinations thereof of fibers. In exemplary embodiments, the nonwoven web has an average linear mass density in the range of about 1 decitex to about 5 decitex, or about 1 decitex to about 3 decitex, or about 1.5 decitex to about 2.5 decitex. In exemplary embodiments, the nonwoven web includes a blend of fibers in which the first fibers have an average linear mass density of 1.7 decitex and the second fibers have an average linear mass density of 2.2 decitex.

[0130] Multiple fibers used to prepare the nonwoven webs of the present disclosure have diameters ranging from about 10 microns to about 300 microns, for example, at least 10 microns, at least 25 microns, at least 50 microns, at least 100 microns or at least 125 microns, and up to about 300 microns, up to about 275 microns, up to about 250 microns, up to about 225 microns or up to about 200 microns. In exemplary embodiments, multiple fibers used to prepare the nonwoven webs of the present disclosure may have diameters greater than 100 microns and up to about 300 microns. In exemplary embodiments, the diameters of multiple fibers used to prepare the nonwoven webs of the present disclosure are substantially uniform. In exemplary embodiments, one or more fiber types may have an average diameter ranging from about 10 microns to about 300 microns, or from about 50 microns to 200 microns, or from about 50 microns to about 100 microns.

[0131] The multiple fibers used to prepare the nonwoven webs of the present disclosure may be of any length. In exemplary embodiments, the lengths of the multiple fibers may be in the range of about 30 millimeters (mm) to about 100 mm, about 10 mm to about 60 mm, or about 30 mm to about 60 mm, for example, at least about 30 mm, at least about 35 mm, at least about 40 mm, at least about 45 mm or at least about 50 mm, and up to about 100 mm, up to about 95 mm, up to about 90 mm, up to about 80 mm, up to about 70 mm or up to about 60 mm. In exemplary embodiments, the lengths of the multiple fibers may be less than about 30 mm, or in the range of about 0.25 mm to less than about 30 mm, for example, at least about 0.25 mm, at least about 0.5 mm, at least about 0.75 mm, at least about 1 mm, at least about 2.5 mm, at least about 5 mm, at least about 7.5 mm or at least about 10 mm, and up to about 29 mm, up to about 28 mm, up to about 27 mm, up to about 26 mm, up to about 25 mm, up to about 20 mm or up to about 15 mm. In exemplary embodiments, the fibers have an average length of about 30 mm to about 100 mm, or about 30 mm to about 60 mm. In exemplary embodiments, the nonwoven web includes a blend of fiber types, where the first fiber type includes a length of about 38 mm and the second fiber type includes a length of about 54 mm.

[0132] Multiple fibers used to prepare the nonwoven webs of the present disclosure can have any length-to-diameter ratio (L / D). Advantageously, the tactile feel of the nonwoven webs of the present disclosure can be controlled using the L / D ratio of the fibers and the respective amounts of fibers having different L / D ratios in the nonwoven composition. As the L / D of the fibers decreases, stiffness and resistance to bending increase, resulting in a rougher feel. The fibers of the present disclosure impart a rough feel to nonwoven webs containing the fibers of the present disclosure when the fibers have low L / D ratios in the range of about 0.5 to about 15, or about 0.5 to about 25, or about 1 to about 5. Such low L / D fibers can be provided in the nonwoven web in amounts ranging from about 0 to about 50% by weight, for example, about 0.5 wt.% to about 25 wt.%, or about 1 wt.% to about 15 wt.%, based on the total weight of the fibers in the nonwoven web. If the amount of low L / D fibers in a nonwoven web is unknown, the amount can be estimated by microscopic visual inspection of the nonwoven web. In exemplary embodiments, where the first fibers include a blend of fiber-forming materials comprising a first polyvinyl alcohol fiber-forming material, at least a portion of the first fibers may have an L / D ratio of about 0.5 to about 25, or about 0.5 to about 15, or about 1 to about 5.

[0133] Pore ​​size is not limited, but can be determined using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller theory (BET), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and high-magnification and ordered surface analysis techniques, including molecular adsorption.

[0134] Nonwoven webs can be characterized by their basis weight. The basis weight of a nonwoven web is the mass per unit area of ​​the nonwoven web. As is well known in the art, the basis weight can be modified by changing the manufacturing conditions. A nonwoven web can have the same basis weight before and after bonding. Alternatively, the basis weight of a nonwoven web can be altered by the bonding method. For example, bonding by applying heat and pressure can reduce the thickness (and therefore the area) of the nonwoven fabric, thereby increasing the basis weight. Therefore, as used herein, unless otherwise specified, the basis weight of a nonwoven fabric refers to the basis weight of the nonwoven fabric after bonding.

[0135] The nonwoven web disclosed herein has a density of approximately 0.1 g / m². 2 ~about 700g / m 2 , about 0.5g / m 2 ~about 600g / m 2 , about 1g / m 2 ~about 500g / m 2 , about 1g / m 2 ~about 400g / m 2 , about 1g / m 2 ~about 300g / m 2 , about 1g / m 2 ~about 200g / m 2 , about 1g / m 2 ~about 100g / m 2 , about 30g / m 2 ~about 100g / m 2 , about 20g / m 2 ~about 100g / m 2 , about 20g / m 2 ~about 80g / m 2 , or approximately 25g / m 2 ~about 70g / m 2 It can have any basis weight within the range.

[0136] Furthermore, if the fiber composition and web thickness remain constant, the dissolution rate of the web decreases as the basis weight of the web increases, because more material dissolves as the basis weight increases. For example, at a given temperature, prepared from fibers containing PVOH polymer(s), for example, 40 g / m² 2A water-soluble web having a basis weight of, for example, 30 g / m² 2 A nonwoven web with a basis weight of approximately 1 g / m² is expected to dissolve more slowly than any other identical water-soluble web. Therefore, basis weight can also be used to modify the solubility characteristics of nonwoven webs. Nonwoven webs have a basis weight of approximately 1 g / m². 2 ~about 700g / m 2 , about 1g / m 2 ~about 600g / m 2 , about 1g / m 2 ~about 500g / m 2 , about 1g / m 2 ~about 400g / m 2 , about 1g / m 2 ~about 300g / m 2 , about 1g / m 2 ~about 200g / m 2 , about 10g / m 2 ~about 100g / m 2 , about 30g / m 2 ~about 100g / m 2 , about 20g / m 2 ~about 100g / m 2 , about 20g / m 2 ~about 80g / m 2 , about 25g / m 2 ~about 70g / m 2 , or approximately 40g / m 2 ~about 60g / m 2 It can have any basis weight within the range.

[0137] The nonwoven webs of the present disclosure may be used as single layers, layered with other nonwoven webs, or laminated with water-soluble films. In some embodiments, the nonwoven web comprises a single layer of nonwoven web. In some embodiments, the nonwoven web is a multilayer nonwoven web comprising two or more layers of nonwoven web. The two or more layers may be laminated to one another. In improved embodiments of the above embodiments, the two or more layers may be the same (e.g., prepared from the same fiber and basis weight). In improved embodiments of the above embodiments, the two or more layers may be different (e.g., prepared from different types of fiber, from different chemical properties of fiber, and / or having different basis weights).

[0138] A multilayer nonwoven web can have a basis weight that is the sum of the basis weights of its individual layers. Therefore, a multilayer nonwoven web takes longer to dissolve than any of the individual layers provided as single layers. Water-soluble foam

[0139] In exemplary embodiments, preferred water-soluble foams include the chemical properties of copolymers, maleic anhydride (MA)-modified PVOH polymers, monomethyl maleate (MMM)-modified PVOH polymers, 2-methylacrylamide-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS)-modified PVOH, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), proteins, casein, soy, or any suitable resin, such as any water-dispersible or water-soluble resin. In certain embodiments, the water-soluble foam substrate has a thickness of 3 to 3000 microns and can be formed using any suitable manufacturing process known in the field of foam manufacturing technology, including but not limited to casting, extrusion, melt processing, coating, chemically blown, mechanical aeration, air injection, and turbulent extrusion processes. The water-soluble foam substrate may be porous or non-porous and may be cold-water soluble or hot-water soluble. The composition of the water-soluble foam substrate may include, for example, folded layers or pies, stacked layers or pies, or wound layers or pies.

[0140] In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble foam substrate may further include any auxiliary agents disclosed herein for nonwoven webs, fibers, and / or films. The auxiliary agents may be applied by any suitable means to one or more surfaces of the water-soluble foam substrate, or an article containing it, e.g., a packet. In exemplary embodiments, the auxiliary agent is in powder form. In improved embodiments of the above embodiments, one or more stationary powder spray guns are used to guide a stream of powder toward the water-soluble foam substrate or packet from one or more directions while the water-soluble foam substrate or packet is moved through a coating strip by a belt conveyor. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble foam substrate or packet is conveyed through a suspension of powder in the air. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble foam substrate or packet is tumble-mixed with the powder in a trough-like device. In exemplary embodiments, which can be combined with any other embodiments, electrostatic force is used to enhance the attractive force between the powder and the packet or water-soluble foam substrate. This type of process may be based on negatively charging powder particles and directing these charged particles toward a grounded packet or water-soluble foam substrate. In other alternative embodiments, the powder is applied to a water-soluble foam substrate or packet by a secondary transfer tool including a rotating brush that comes into contact with the powder, or by a powder-equipped glove that can transfer the powder from a container to the water-soluble foam substrate or packet. In yet another embodiment, the powder is applied by dissolving or suspending the powder in a non-aqueous solvent or carrier, then atomizing it and spraying it onto the water-soluble foam substrate or packet. In one embodiment, the solvent or carrier then evaporates, leaving the activator powder behind. In certain embodiments, the powder is applied to the water-soluble foam substrate or packet in a precise dose. In these embodiments, a closed-system dry lubricant application mechanism, such as PekuTECH's powder applicator PM 700 D, is utilized. In this process, the powder is supplied to the feed trough of the application mechanism, either in batch or continuous order as needed.The water-soluble foam substrate or packet is transferred from the output belt of a standard rotary drum pouching machine to the conveyor belt of a powder applicator, where a controlled dose of powder is applied to the water-soluble foam substrate or packet. The water-soluble foam substrate or packet can then be transported to a suitable secondary packaging process.

[0141] In exemplary embodiments where the auxiliary agent is in liquid form or solution, the aforementioned auxiliary agent can be dispersed on or on the surface of a water-soluble foam substrate, or by a combination thereof, for example, by spin casting, spraying of a solution such as an aerosolized solution, roll coating, flow coating, curtain coating, extrusion, knife coating, or a combination thereof.

[0142] Auxiliary agents, such as chemical exfoliants, mechanical exfoliants, fragrances and / or fragrance microcapsules, aversive agents, surfactants, colorants, enzymes, skin conditioners, degreasing agents, cosmetics, or combinations thereof, when present in a water-soluble foam substrate, are present in amounts ranging from at least about 1 wt.% to about 99 wt.% and provide further functionality to the water-soluble foam substrate. Chemical exfoliants, mechanical exfoliants, fragrances and / or fragrance microcapsules, aversive agents, surfactants, colorants, enzymes, skin conditioners, degreasing agents, cosmetics, or combinations thereof can take any desired form, including solids (e.g., powders, granules, crystals, flakes, or ribbons), liquids, heated mixtures, pastes, gases, etc., and can be encapsulated as needed.

[0143] In exemplary embodiments, water-soluble foam substrates may be colored, tinted, and / or dyed to provide improved aesthetic effects compared to water-soluble films. Suitable colorants for use with water-soluble foam substrates may include pH indicators (e.g., thymol blue, bromothymol, thymolphthalein, and thymolphthalein), water / water indicators (e.g., hydrochromic inks or leuco dyes), or indicator dyes such as thermochromic inks, which change color as the temperature rises and / or falls. Suitable colorants include, but are not limited to, triphenylmethane dyes, azo dyes, anthraquinone dyes, perylene dyes, indigoid dyes, food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic (FD&C) colorants, organic pigments, inorganic pigments, or combinations thereof. Examples of colorants, though not limited to them, include FD&C Red 40, Red 3, FD&C Black 3, Black 2, mica-based pearlescent pigments, FD&C Yellow 6, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, titanium dioxide (food grade), brilliant black, and combinations thereof.

[0144] In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble foam substrate may include any of the surfactants disclosed herein. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble foam substrate may include one or more of the following: sodium cocoyl isethionate, glucotaine, phenamide, cola lipids, cocamides, such as cocamide ethanolamine, ethylene oxide surfactants, and saponified avocado and coconut oils.

[0145] The water-soluble foam substrates of this disclosure may have any thickness. Suitable thicknesses, but are not limited to, include, about 5 microns (μm) to about 10,000 μm (1 cm), about 3 μm to about 5,000 μm, about 5 μm to about 1,000 μm, about 5 μm to about 500 μm, about 200 μm to about 500 μm, about 5 μm to about 200 μm, about 20 μm to about 100 μm, or about 40 μm to about 90 μm, or about 50 μm to 80 μm, or about 60 μm to 65 μm, for example, 50 μm, 65 μm, 76 μm, or 88 μm. The water-soluble foam substrates of this disclosure may be characterized as high loft or low loft. Loft refers to the ratio of thickness to mass per unit area (i.e., basis weight). High-loft water-soluble foam substrates may be characterized by a high ratio of thickness to mass per unit area. As used herein, “high-loft” refers to the water-soluble foam substrates of this disclosure having a basis weight as defined herein and a thickness greater than 200 μm. The thickness of the water-soluble foam substrate can be determined in accordance with ASTM D5729-97, ASTM D5736, and / or ISO 9073-2:1995, and may include, for example, applying a load of 2N to the water-soluble foam substrate and measuring the thickness. High-loft materials can be used according to methods known in the art, such as cross-wrapping, which involves folding the unbonded web itself using a cross-wrapper to increase the loft and basis weight.

[0146] The surface roughness of the water-soluble foam substrate is greater than that of the water-soluble film, which reduces surface contact with the water-soluble foam substrate. As a result, the dynamic coefficient of friction and the ratio of the static coefficient to the dynamic coefficient of friction of the water-soluble foam substrate of the present disclosure are lower than those of the dynamic coefficient of friction and the ratio of the static coefficient to the dynamic coefficient of friction of the water-soluble film. Advantageously, this surface roughness can provide consumers with an improved feel (i.e., a cloth-like feel rather than a rubbery feel), improved aesthetics (i.e., less gloss than the water-soluble film), and / or facilitate processability in cases where the water-soluble foam substrate needs to be stretched along the surface of a processing apparatus / mold. Therefore, in exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble fibers and / or non-water-soluble fibers should be rough enough to provide surface roughness to the resulting water-soluble foam substrate without making it rough enough to generate resistance.

[0147] The solubility of a soluble foam substrate closure in water is a function of the type of fiber(s) used to prepare the soluble foam substrate, as well as the basis weight of the soluble foam substrate. While not strictly theoretical, the solubility profile of a soluble foam substrate is generally considered to be the same as the solubility profile of the fiber(s) used to prepare it, and the solubility profile of the fiber(s) is generally considered to be the same as the solubility profile of the polymer(s) from which the fiber(s) are prepared. For example, in the case of a soluble foam substrate containing PVOH fibers, the degree of hydrolysis of the PVOH polymer can be selected such that it also affects the solubility of the soluble foam substrate. Generally, as the degree of hydrolysis of the PVOH polymer increases from partial hydrolysis (88% DH) to complete hydrolysis (98% DH or higher) at a given temperature, the solubility of the polymer generally decreases. Therefore, in exemplary embodiments, a soluble foam substrate may be cold-water soluble. For a copolymer (vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol) polymer that does not contain any other monomers (e.g., not copolymerized with anionic monomers), a cold-water-soluble web that is soluble in water at temperatures below 10°C may contain PVOH fibers having a degree of hydrolysis in the range of about 75% to about 90%, or about 75% to about 89%, or about 80% to about 90%, or about 85% to about 90%, or about 90% to about 99.5%. In other exemplary embodiments, a water-soluble foam substrate may be hot-water-soluble. For example, for a copolymer (vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol) polymer that does not contain any other monomers (e.g., not copolymerized with anionic monomers), a hot-water-soluble foam substrate may be soluble in water at a temperature of at least about 60°C by containing PVOH fibers having a degree of hydrolysis of at least about 98%.

[0148] Modifying a PVOH copolymer increases its solubility. Therefore, it is predicted that the solubility of a water-soluble foam substrate prepared from a modified PVOH copolymer at a given temperature will be higher than that of a water-soluble foam substrate prepared from a PVOH copolymer having the same degree of hydrolysis as the modified PVOH copolymer. Following these trends, water-soluble foam substrates with specific solubility characteristics can be designed by blending polymers into fibers and / or blending fibers into the water-soluble foam substrate. Furthermore, as described herein, the water-soluble foam substrate may comprise multiple fibers, which may comprise two or more fiber types with differing solubility.

[0149] Including non-water-soluble fibers and / or non-water-soluble fiber-forming materials in multiple fibers of a water-soluble foam substrate can also be used to design water-soluble foam substrates with specific solubility and / or extended release properties. While not strictly theoretical, it is generally believed that as the weight percentage of non-water-soluble fibers in a water-soluble foam substrate increases (relative to the total weight of the water-soluble foam substrate), the solubility of the water-soluble foam substrate generally decreases, and the extended release properties of pouches containing the water-soluble foam substrate generally increase. When a water-soluble foam substrate containing water-soluble and non-water-soluble fibers comes into contact with water at or above the dissolution temperature of the water-soluble fibers, it begins to disperse as the water-soluble fibers dissolve, thereby causing the foam structure to collapse and / or increasing the pore size of the pores in the water-soluble foam substrate. The greater the collapse of the foam structure or the increase in pore size, the faster the water reaches the active treatment formulation, and the more rapidly the active treatment formulation is released. Similarly, the extended release of the active treatment formulation contained in the water-soluble foam substrate of this disclosure can be achieved by using a blend of water-soluble fibers having different solubility properties and / or different dissolution temperatures. As fibers that dissolve more rapidly dissolve, thereby causing the foam to collapse, less soluble fibers are exposed to a larger surface area, which promotes the dissolution of less soluble fibers and the release of the active treatment formulation. In exemplary embodiments where the foam substrate includes water-soluble and water-insoluble fibers, the ratio of soluble fibers to water-insoluble fibers is not particularly limited. Water-soluble fibers may constitute about 1% to about 99%, about 20% to about 80%, about 40% to about 90%, about 50% to about 90%, or about 60% to about 90% by weight of the total weight of the fibers, and water-insoluble fibers may constitute about 1% to about 99%, about 20% to about 80%, about 10% to about 60%, about 10% to about 50%, or about 10% to about 40% by weight of the total weight of the fibers. In exemplary embodiments, the fibers include about 10% to about 80% water-soluble fibers by weight, based on the total weight of the fibers, with the remainder being water-insoluble fibers.

[0150] In exemplary embodiments, the nonwoven webs, multiple fibers, foams, water-soluble films, or combinations thereof disclosed herein may include biodegradable polymers. In certain embodiments, the multiple fibers may include biodegradable, water-insoluble fiber-forming materials. In exemplary embodiments, the multiple fibers may include a first fiber that is a water-insoluble biodegradable fiber and a second fiber that is soluble in water at temperatures of about 10°C to about 20°C according to MSTM-205, or insoluble in water at temperatures of about 30°C or below according to MSTM-205. In exemplary embodiments, the nonwoven web is water-insoluble and biodegradable.

[0151] In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble foam substrate is biodegradable. Where used herein, when a water-soluble foam substrate is said to be biodegradable, at least 50% of the water-soluble foam substrate is biodegradable, and for example, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, or 100% of the water-soluble foam substrate is biodegradable.

[0152] The water-soluble foam substrates disclosed herein may include a plurality of fibers, including a first fiber type and a second fiber type, wherein the first fiber type and the second fiber type are characterized by diameter, length, tenacity, shape, stiffness, elasticity, solubility, melting point, and glass transition temperature (T g), have differences in chemical composition, color, or combinations thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the first fiber type may include PVOH homopolymer fiber-forming materials, PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, modified PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, or combinations thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the first fiber type may include two or more PVOH homopolymer fiber-forming materials, two or more PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, two or more modified PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, or combinations thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the second fiber type may include PVOH homopolymer fiber-forming materials, PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, modified PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, or combinations thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the second fiber type may include two or more PVOH homopolymer fiber-forming materials, two or more PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, two or more modified PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, or combinations thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the first fiber type and / or the second fiber type are water-insoluble fiber-forming materials. In exemplary embodiments, the first fiber type may include a water-insoluble polymer fiber-forming material, and the second fiber type may include a polyvinyl alcohol fiber-forming material, which, when provided as the sole fiber-forming material for a nonwoven web or film, results in a web or film that is soluble in water at temperatures in the range of about 0°C to about 20°C according to MSTM-205. In exemplary embodiments, the first fiber type may include a water-insoluble polymer fiber-forming material, and the second fiber type may include a PVOH copolymer or modified copolymer fiber-forming material, which, when provided as the sole fiber-forming material for a water-soluble foam substrate, results in a water-soluble foam substrate that is not soluble in water at or below 20°C according to MSTM-205. In exemplary embodiments, the first fiber type may include two or more PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, two or more modified PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, or a combination of PVOH homopolymer fiber-forming materials and PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials.In exemplary embodiments, the second fiber type includes two or more PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, two or more modified PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials, or a combination of PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials and modified PVOH copolymer fiber-forming materials.

[0153] Multiple fibers contained in the water-soluble foam substrate of this disclosure may have any tenacity. Fiber tenacity correlates with fiber roughness. As fiber tenacity decreases, fiber roughness increases. Fibers used to prepare the nonwoven web of this disclosure have tenacities of approximately 1 to approximately 100 cN / decitex or approximately 1 to approximately 75 cN / decitex or approximately 1 to approximately 50 cN / decitex or approximately 1 to approximately 45 cN / decitex or approximately 1 to approximately 40 cN / decitex or approximately 1 to approximately 35 cN / decitex or approximately 1 to approximately 30 cN / decitex or approximately 1 to approximately 25 cN / decitex or approximately 1 to approximately 20 cN / decitex or approximately 1 to approximately 15 cN / decitex or approximately 1 to approximately 10 cN / decitex or approximately 3 to approximately 8 cN / decitex or approximately 4 to approximately 8 cN / decitex or approximately 6 It can have a tenacity in the range of approximately 8 cN / decitex, approximately 4 to approximately 7 cN / decitex, approximately 10 to approximately 20, approximately 10 to approximately 18, or approximately 10 to approximately 16, or approximately 1 cN / decitex, approximately 2 cN / decitex, approximately 3 cN / decitex, approximately 4 cN / decitex, approximately 5 cN / decitex, approximately 6 cN / decitex, approximately 7 cN / decitex, approximately 8 cN / decitex, approximately 9 cN / decitex, approximately 10 cN / decitex, approximately 11 cN / decitex, approximately 12 cN / decitex, approximately 13 cN / decitex, approximately 14 cN / decitex, or approximately 15 cN / decitex. In an exemplary embodiment, multiple fibers may have a tenacity ranging from about 3 cN / decitex to about 15 cN / decitex, or about 5 cN / decitex to about 12 cN / decitex, or about 5 cN / decitex to about 10 cN / decitex.

[0154] The tenacity of a water-soluble foam substrate may be the same as or different from the tenacity of the multiple fibers used to prepare the web. While not strictly theoretical, the tenacity of a water-soluble foam substrate is considered to be related to the strength of the nonwoven web, with higher tenacity resulting in a stronger nonwoven web. The tenacity of a water-soluble foam substrate can be modified by using fibers with different tenacities. The tenacity of a water-soluble foam substrate can also be affected by processing. The water-soluble foam substrates of this disclosure have relatively high tenacity, meaning they are self-supporting substrates that can be used as the sole material for preparing articles and / or pouches. In contrast, water-soluble foam substrates prepared according to melt-blown, electrospinning, and / or spin-spinning processes may have low tenacity and may not be self-supporting or suitable for use as the sole material for forming articles or pouches.

[0155] Water-soluble foam substrates can be characterized by their basis weight. The basis weight of a water-soluble foam substrate is the mass per unit area of ​​the water-soluble foam substrate. As is known in the art, the basis weight can be modified by changing the manufacturing conditions. A water-soluble foam substrate may have the same basis weight before and after bonding. Alternatively, the basis weight of a water-soluble foam substrate can be altered by the bonding method. For example, bonding by applying heat and pressure can reduce the thickness (and therefore the area) of the water-soluble foam substrate, thereby increasing the basis weight. Therefore, as used herein, unless otherwise specified, the basis weight of a water-soluble foam substrate refers to the basis weight of the water-soluble foam substrate after bonding.

[0156] The water-soluble foam substrate of this disclosure has a density of approximately 0.1 g / m². 2 ~about 700g / m 2 , about 0.5g / m 2 ~about 600g / m 2 , about 1g / m 2 ~about 500g / m2 , about 1 g / m 2 ~ about 400 g / m 2 , about 1 g / m 2 ~ about 300 g / m 2 , about 1 g / m 2 ~ about 200 g / m 2 , about 1 g / m 2 ~ about 100 g / m 2 , about 3 g / m 2 ~ about 100 g / m 2 , about 20 g / m 2 ~ about 100 g / m 2 , about 20 g / m 2 ~ about 80 g / m 2 , or about 25 g / m 2 ~ about 70 g / m 2 can have any basis weight within the range.

[0157] Furthermore, if the fiber composition and the web thickness remain constant, as the basis weight of the water-soluble foam substrate increases, the amount of the dissolving material further increases, so the dissolution rate of the water-soluble foam substrate decreases. For example, at a given temperature, a water-soluble foam substrate prepared from fibers containing PVOH polymer(s) and having a basis weight of, for example, 40 g / m 2 is predicted to dissolve more slowly than an otherwise identical water-soluble web having a basis weight of, for example, 30 g / m 2 . Therefore, the basis weight can also be used to modify the solubility characteristics of the water-soluble foam substrate. The water-soluble foam substrate has a basis weight of about 1 g / m 2 ~ about 700 g / m 2 , about 1 g / m 2 ~ about 600 g / m 2 , about 1 g / m 2 ~ about 500 g / m 2 , about 1 g / m 2 ~ about 400 g / m 2 , about 1 g / m 2 ~ about 300 g / m 2 , about 1 g / m 2 ~ about 200 g / m 2 , about 10 g / m 2 ~ about 100 g / m 2 , about 30 g / m 2 ~ about 100 g / m 2 , about 20 g / m2 ~about 100g / m 2 , about 20g / m 2 ~about 80g / m 2 , about 25g / m 2 ~about 70g / m 2 , or approximately 40g / m 2 ~about 60g / m 2 It can have any basis weight within the range.

[0158] The water-soluble foam substrates of this disclosure may be used as a single layer, layered with other water-soluble foam substrates, or laminated with a water-soluble film. In some embodiments, the water-soluble foam substrate comprises a single layer. In some embodiments, the water-soluble foam substrate is a multilayer water-soluble foam substrate comprising two or more layers. The two or more layers may be laminated to one another. In improved embodiments of the above embodiments, the two or more layers may be the same (e.g., prepared from the same fiber and basis weight). In improved embodiments of the above embodiments, the two or more layers may be different (e.g., prepared from different types of fiber, from different chemical properties of fiber, and / or having different basis weights).

[0159] A multilayer water-soluble foam substrate may have a basis weight that is the sum of the basis weights of its individual layers. Therefore, a multilayer water-soluble foam substrate takes longer to dissolve than any of the individual layers provided as single layers. Water-soluble film

[0160] The water-soluble films described herein comprise any of the water-soluble polymers disclosed herein. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble films of this disclosure comprise polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) resins, modified polyvinyl alcohol resins, or combinations thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble films comprise PVOH resins selected from the group consisting of PVOH homopolymers, PVOH copolymers, PVOH copolymers having anionic modifications, and combinations thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble films may comprise a single PVOH polymer or a blend of PVOH polymers. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble films comprise PVOH copolymers. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble films comprise hot water-soluble PVOH copolymers. In exemplary embodiments, where the nonwoven web comprises a surfactant and / or exfoliant, the water-soluble films may comprise PVOH copolymers having anionic modifications. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble films may comprise water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol copolymers or modified copolymers, and if they are provided as the sole film-forming material in the film, the film becomes soluble in water at temperatures in the range of about 0°C to about 20°C according to MSTM-205. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble film may contain a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol copolymer or a modified copolymer, and if it is provided as the sole film-forming material in the film, the film is insoluble in water at water temperatures of 20°C or below, according to MSTM-205.

[0161] The water-soluble films may include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl alcohol, water-soluble acrylate copolymers, polyethyleneimine, pullulan, water-soluble natural polymers including, but not limited to, guar gum, acacia gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, and starch, water-soluble polymer-modified starch, copolymers of the aforementioned, or other film-forming polymers including any combination of the aforementioned. Other water-soluble polymers may include polyalkylene oxides, polyacrylamides, cellulose, cellulose ethers, cellulose esters, celluloseamides, polyvinyl acetate, polycarboxylic acids and their salts, polyamino acids, polyamides, gelatin, methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose and its salts, dextrin, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, maltodextrin, polymethacrylate, or any combination of the aforementioned. Such water-soluble polymers are commercially available from various suppliers. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble films may include PVOH homopolymers, PVOH copolymers, modified PVOH copolymers, or combinations thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble films may include a single PVOH copolymer or a blend of multiple PVOH copolymers. In further embodiments, the water-soluble film comprises a PVOH copolymer having a viscosity in the range of 5 cP to 23 cP and a degree of hydrolysis in the range of 86% to 92%.

[0162] The film can have any suitable thickness, with a typical and particularly intended thickness being approximately 76 microns (μm). Other intended values ​​and ranges include the range of approximately 5 μm to approximately 200 μm, or approximately 20 μm to approximately 100 μm, or approximately 40 μm to approximately 90 μm, or approximately 50 μm to approximately 80 μm, or approximately or approximately 60 μm to 65 μm, for example, values ​​of 65 μm, 76 μm, or 88 μm.

[0163] In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble film may contain the above-mentioned auxiliary agents. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble film may substantially not contain the above-mentioned auxiliary agents. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble film may contain the above-mentioned plasticizer. The total amount of non-aqueous plasticizer supplied to a water-soluble film may be in the range of approximately 1 wt.% to approximately 45 wt.%, or approximately 5 wt.% to approximately 45 wt.%, or approximately 10 wt.% to approximately 40 wt.%, or approximately 20 wt.% to approximately 30 wt.%, approximately 1 wt.% to approximately 4 wt.%, or approximately 1.5 wt.% to approximately 3.5 wt.%, or approximately 2.0 wt.% to approximately 3.0 wt.%, for example, approximately 1 wt.%, approximately 2.5 wt.%, approximately 5 wt.%, approximately 10 wt.%, approximately 15 wt.%, approximately 20 wt.%, approximately 25 wt.%, approximately 30 wt.%, approximately 35 wt.%, or approximately 40 wt.% based on the total film weight. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble film comprises one or more of propylene glycol, glycerol, diglycerol, sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, trimethylolpropane (TMP), and polyethylene glycol (molecular weight 100 to 1000).

[0164] In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble film may contain the surfactants described above. In various embodiments, the amount of surfactant in the water-soluble film ranges from about 0.01 wt.% to about 2.5 wt.%, about 0.1 wt.% to about 2.5 wt.%, about 1.0 wt.% to about 2.0 wt.%, about 0.01 wt.% to about 0.25 wt.%, or about 0.10 wt.% to about 0.20 wt.%. In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble film may contain one or more of the following: polysorbate 80, lecithin from various plant sources, and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS).

[0165] In exemplary embodiments, the additives for the water-soluble film may include fillers / bulks / anti-blocking agents / detachable agents. Suitable fillers / bulks / anti-blocking agents / detachable agents include, but are not limited to, cross-linked polyvinylpyrrolidone, cross-linked cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, silica, metal oxides, calcium carbonate, talc, mica, stearic acid, and their metal salts, such as magnesium stearate. If necessary, additional raw or modified starches may include, in addition to one of the specific starch components described above, hydroxypropylated starch that is water-soluble, for example, present in an amount ranging from about 5 phr to about 30 phr, or modified starch with a degree of modification greater than about 2% and present in an amount ranging from about 2.5 phr to about 30 phr, or raw starch with an amylose content ranging from about 20% to about 80%, or hydroxypropyl-modified starch with an amylose content ranging from about 23% to about 95% when the polyvinyl alcohol contains an unmodified polyvinyl alcohol copolymer or an anionically modified polyvinyl alcohol copolymer, provided that the anionic modifier is not an acrylate. Preferred materials are starch, modified starch, and silica. In one embodiment, the amount of filler / bulker / anti-blocking agent / detachable agent in the water-soluble film may be in the range of, for example, about 1 wt.% to about 6 wt.%, or about 1 wt.% to about 4 wt.%, or about 2 wt.% to about 4 wt.%, or about 1 phr to about 6 phr, or about 1 phr to about 4 phr, or about 2 phr to about 4 phr. In exemplary embodiments, if the water-soluble film contains starch or modified starch in addition to one of the particular starch components described above, the additional starch component is provided in an amount of less than about 50 wt.% based on the total weight of all starches contained in the film. Without being bound by theory, any benefits provided by the inclusion of the above starch components in the water-soluble film of this disclosure are considered to be not significantly beneficial to the water-soluble film, or not affected at all by the inclusion of additional starch components that do not provide any benefit to the water-soluble film.

[0166] The water-soluble film may further have a residual water content of at least 4 wt.%, for example, in the range of about 4 wt.% to about 10 wt.%, as measured by Karl Fischer titration. Method for preparing fibers

[0167] Wet cooling gel spinning

[0168] In exemplary embodiments, the water-soluble fibers may include water-soluble fibers prepared according to a wet-cooled gel spinning process, the wet-cooled gel spinning process is (a) Dissolving a water-soluble polymer (or multiple water-soluble polymers) in a solution to form a polymer mixture containing auxiliary agents as needed, (b) The step of extruding the polymer mixture through the spinneret nozzle into a coagulation bath to form the extruded polymer mixture, (c) The step of passing the extruded polymer mixture through a solvent exchange bath, (d) If necessary, the step of wet stretching the extruded polymer mixture, (e) A step of finishing the extruded polymer mixture to provide water-soluble fibers. Includes.

[0169] The solvent used to dissolve the water-soluble polymer may preferably be any solvent to which the water-soluble polymer is soluble. In exemplary embodiments, the solvent used to dissolve the water-soluble polymer includes an aprotic solvent. In exemplary embodiments, the solvent used to dissolve the water-soluble polymer includes dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).

[0170] The solidification bath contains a cooling solvent for gelling the extruded polymer mixture. The solidification bath may generally be at any temperature that promotes the solidification of the extruded polymer mixture. The solidification bath may be a mixture containing a solvent in which the polymer is soluble and a solvent in which the polymer is insoluble. The solvent in which the polymer is insoluble is generally the main solvent and constitutes more than 50% by volume of the mixture.

[0171] The extruded polymer mixture gel can be passed through one or more solvent exchange tanks after passing through a solidification bath. The solvent exchange tanks are provided to further solidify the extruded polymer mixture by exchanging the solvent in which the water-soluble polymer is soluble with a solvent in which the water-soluble polymer is insoluble, and further to shorten the drying time by exchanging the solvent in which the water-soluble polymer is soluble with a solvent that evaporates more easily. The solvent exchange tanks may include a series of solvent exchange tanks having a gradient from the solvent in which the water-soluble polymer is soluble to the solvent in which the water-soluble polymer is insoluble, a series of solvent exchange tanks having only the solvent in which the water-soluble polymer is insoluble, or a single solvent exchange tank having only the solvent in which the water-soluble polymer is insoluble. In exemplary embodiments, at least one solvent exchange tank may essentially consist of the solvent in which the water-soluble polymer is insoluble.

[0172] Finished fibers are sometimes called staple fibers, short-cut fibers, or pulp. In exemplary embodiments, finishing involves drying the extruded polymer mixture. In exemplary embodiments, finishing involves cutting or crimping the extruded polymer mixture to form individual fibers. By wet-drawing the extruded polymer mixture, the diameter of the extruded polymer mixture, and therefore the fibers cut from it, can be made substantially uniform. Drawing is different from extrusion, as is well known in the art. In particular, “extrusion” refers to the act of producing fibers by pushing a resin mixture through a spinneret head, while drawing refers to mechanically pulling fibers in a mechanical direction to promote the orientation and crystallization of polymer chains in order to increase the strength and tenacity of the fibers.

[0173] In exemplary embodiments where water-soluble fibers are prepared from a wet-cooled gel spinning process, the water-soluble polymer can be any water-soluble polymer or a blend thereof, as generally described herein, for example, two or more different polymers. In improved forms of the above embodiments, the polymer(s) can be, for example, in the range of 10 to 10,000,000, for example, at least 10, at least 20, at least 50, at least 100, at least 200, at least 300, at least 400, at least 500, at least 750 or at least 1000, and up to 10,000,000, up to 5,000,000, up to 2,500,000, up to 1,000,000, up to 900,000, up to 750,000, up to 500,000, up to 250,000, up to 100,000, up to 90,000, up to 75,000 The degree of polymerization (DP) can be any in the range of up to 50,000, up to 25,000, up to 12,000, up to 10,000, up to 5,000, or up to 2,500, for example, 1,000 to about 50,000, 1,000 to about 25,000, 1,000 to about 12,000, 1,000 to about 5,000, 1,000 to about 2,500, about 50 to about 12,000, about 50 to about 10,000, about 50 to about 5,000, about 50 to about 2,500, about 50 to about 1,000, about 50 to about 900, about 100 to about 800, about 150 to about 700, about 200 to about 600, or about 250 to about 500. In exemplary embodiments, the DP is at least 1,000. As described above, auxiliary agents can be added to the fibers themselves or to the nonwoven web during the carding and / or bonding process.

[0174] Thermoplastic fiber spinning

[0175] Thermoplastic fiber spinning is well known in this field. Simply put, thermoplastic fiber spinning is... (a) A step of preparing a polymer mixture containing a fiber-forming polymer containing an auxiliary agent as needed, (b) The step of extruding the polymer mixture through a spinneret nozzle to form the extruded polymer mixture, (c) If necessary, the step of stretching the extruded polymer mixture, (d) A step of finishing the extruded polymer mixture to provide fibers. Includes.

[0176] The finished staple fibers from the thermoplastic fiber spinning process can be further finished by drying, cutting, and / or crimping to form individual fibers. To increase the strength and tenacity of the fibers, the extruded polymer mixture is stretched, mechanically pulling the fibers in the mechanical direction and promoting the orientation and crystallization of the polymer chains. Preparation of the polymer mixture for thermoplastic fiber spinning may include (a) preparing a solution of fiber-forming material and an easily volatile solvent, so that after the solution is extruded through a spinneret, the solvent readily evaporates when the solution comes into contact with a flow of hot air, leaving solid fibers behind, or (b) melting the polymer, so that after the hot polymer is extruded through a spinneret, the polymer is solidified by quenching with cold air. Thermoplastic fiber spinning differs from wet cooling gel spinning in at least two ways: (a) in thermoplastic fiber spinning, the extruded fibers solidify not by using a solidification bath, but by evaporation of a solvent or rapid cooling of hot solid fibers with cold air; and (b) in wet cooling gel spinning, the fibers are stretched as needed while they are in a gel state rather than a solid state.

[0177] The fiber-forming material for preparing fibers from a thermoplastic fiber spinning process may be any fiber-forming polymer or blend thereof, for example, two or more different polymers, provided that the polymer or blend thereof has suitable solubility in a readily volatile solvent and / or has different melting points lower than their decomposition temperature. Furthermore, when using a blend of fiber-forming polymers to produce fibers, the fiber-forming material must have similar solubility in a readily volatile solvent and / or similar thermal profiles so that two or more fiber-forming materials melt at similar temperatures. In contrast, the fiber-forming material for preparing fibers from a wet-cooled gel spinning process is less limited, and the fibers can be prepared from a blend of any two or more polymers that are soluble in the same solvent system, and the solvent system does not have to be a single solvent, nor does it have to be a volatile solvent.

[0178] A fiber-forming polymer(s) for preparing thermoplastic fiber spinning fibers may have a degree of polymerization (DP) in the range of, for example, 10 to 10,000, for example, at least 10, at least 20, at least 50, at least 100, at least 200, at least 300, at least 400, at least 500, at least 750, or at least 1000, and up to 10,000, up to 5,000, up to 2,500, up to 1,000, up to 900, up to 750, up to 500, or up to 250. In exemplary embodiments, the DP is less than 1,000.

[0179] Melt spinning

[0180] Melt spinning is well known in the art and is understood to refer to both the spunbond process and the meltblown process. Melt spinning is a continuous process that directly prepares a nonwoven web in parallel with fiber formation. Therefore, the fibers formed by melt spinning are not finished to any fixed length or cut (for example, staple fibers are not prepared in these processes). In addition, melt spinning does not involve a drawing step, and therefore the diameter of the resulting melt-spun fibers is controlled solely by the size of the hole through which the fiber-forming material is extruded, and the polymer chains are not oriented in any particular direction.

[0181] In an exemplary embodiment, melt spinning is performed. (a) A step of preparing a polymer mixture containing a fiber-forming polymer containing an auxiliary agent as needed, (b) The step of extruding the polymer mixture into a die assembly to form the extruded polymer mixture, (c) A step of rapidly cooling the extruded polymer mixture, (d) A step of depositing the rapidly cooled extruded polymer mixture onto a belt to form a nonwoven web, (e) The step of bonding the nonwoven web and Includes.

[0182] In the spunbond process, the extruded polymer mixture is pumped into a die assembly as a molten polymer, where it is rapidly cooled with cold air as it passes through the die assembly. In the meltblown process, the extruded polymer mixture is pumped into a die assembly into which hot air is blown, where it is rapidly cooled as it exits the die assembly and comes into contact with ambient air. In both processes, the fibers are continuously dropped onto a belt or drum, usually accelerated by vacuuming below the belt or drum.

[0183] The diameter of melt-spun fibers ranges from approximately 0.1 to approximately 50 microns, for example, at least approximately 0.1 microns, at least approximately 1 micron, at least approximately 2 microns, at least approximately 5 microns, at least approximately 10 microns, at least approximately 15 microns or at least approximately 20 microns, and up to approximately 50 microns, up to approximately 40 microns, up to approximately 30 microns, up to approximately 25 microns, up to approximately 20 microns, up to approximately 15 microns, up to approximately 10 microns, approximately 0.1 microns to approximately 50 microns, approximately 0.1 microns to approximately 40 microns, approximately 0.1 microns to These ranges from approximately 30 microns, 0.1 to 25 microns, 0.1 to 20 microns, 0.1 to 15 microns, 0.1 to 10 microns, 0.1 to 9 microns, 0.1 to 8 microns, 0.1 to 7 microns, 0.1 to 6 microns, 0.1 to 6 microns, 5 to 35 microns, 5 to 30 microns, 7.5 to 25 microns, 10 to 25 microns, or 15 to 25 microns. It is well known in the art that the meltblown process can provide ultrafine fibers having an average diameter in the range of approximately 1 to 10 microns, however, the meltblown process results in very large variations in fiber diameter, for example, 100 to 300%. Furthermore, while spunbond fibers can have a larger average fiber diameter, for example, about 15 to about 25 microns, it is well known in the art that the uniformity between fibers can be improved to, for example, a variation of about 10%.

[0184] The fiber-forming materials for thermal extrusion processes (e.g., melt spinning, thermoplastic fiber spinning) are more limited than those for wet cooling gel spinning processes. For example, the degree of polymerization for thermal extrusion processes is limited to a range of about 200 to 500. If the degree of polymerization drops below 200, the viscosity of the fiber-forming material becomes too low, and the individual fibers prepared by pumping the material through the die assembly will not maintain proper separation after exiting the die assembly. Similarly, if the degree of polymerization rises above 500, the viscosity becomes too high, making it impossible to efficiently pump the material through sufficiently small holes in the die assembly to perform the process at high speed, thus resulting in a loss of process efficiency and uniformity of the fibers and / or nonwovens. Furthermore, since homopolymers generally do not possess the required thermal stability, processes requiring heating of the fiber-forming material are not suitable for polyvinyl alcohol homopolymers.

[0185] The wet-cooled gel spinning process advantageously offers one or more benefits, such as providing fibers containing a blend of water-soluble polymers, controlling fiber diameter, providing relatively large diameter fibers, controlling fiber length, controlling fiber tenacity, providing high-tenacity fibers, providing fibers from polymers with a high degree of polymerization, and / or providing fibers that can be used to provide self-supporting nonwoven webs. Continuous processes such as spunbond, meltblown, electrospinning, and spinning generally do not allow for blending water-soluble polymers (e.g., because it is difficult to match the melt indices of various polymers), forming large diameter fibers (e.g., over 50 microns), controlling fiber length, providing high-tenacity fibers, and using polymers with a high degree of polymerization. Furthermore, the wet-cooled gel spinning process advantageously makes available fibers made from fiber-forming materials that are not limited to polymers that can only be melt-processed, and therefore have very high molecular weight, high melting point, low melt flow index, or a combination thereof, and can provide fibers with stronger physical properties and different chemical functionalities compared to fibers prepared by thermal extrusion processes. Furthermore, a significant advantage is that the wet-cooled gel spinning process is not limited by the viscosity of the polymer. In contrast, it is known in the art that processes requiring the melting of fiber-forming materials are limited to fiber-forming materials having a viscosity of 5 cP or less. Therefore, fibers containing polymers, including polyvinyl alcohol homopolymers and copolymers, having a viscosity higher than 5 cP are only obtainable by wet-cooled gel spinning. Method for preparing nonwoven webs

[0186] The nonwoven webs of the present disclosure are sheet-like structures having two outer surfaces, and the nonwoven webs contain a plurality of fibers. The nonwoven webs of the present disclosure can be prepared from fibers using any method known in the art. As is known in the art, when fibers are spunbonded or meltblown, the fibers are continuously deposited to form a nonwoven web, and then the fibers are bonded.

[0187] Nonwoven webs can be provided by carding or air-laiding staple fibers and bonding them. Methods for carding and air-laiding are well known in the art.

[0188] Methods for bonding nonwoven webs are well known in the art. For example, bonding may include thermal, mechanical, and / or chemical bonding. Thermal bonding may include, but is not limited to, calendering, embossing, air-through, and ultrasonic bonding. Mechanical bonding may include, but is not limited to, hydro-entangling (spunlace), needle punching, and stitch bonding. Chemical bonding may include, but is not limited to, solvent bonding and resin bonding.

[0189] Thermal bonding is achieved by applying heat and pressure, maintaining the size, shape, and arrangement of pores created by the carding process. The conditions for thermal bonding can be easily determined by those skilled in the art. If the applied heat and / or pressure is too low, the fibers will not bond sufficiently to form an independent web; if the heat and / or pressure is too high, the fibers will begin to fuse together. The chemical properties of the fibers determine the upper and lower limits of heat and / or pressure for thermal bonding. While not strictly theoretical, it is believed that polyvinyl alcohol-based fibers degrade at temperatures above 235°C. Methods for embossing fibers for thermal bonding are known. Embossing can be one-sided or two-sided. Embossing of water-soluble fibers includes one-sided embossing using a single embossing roll consisting of a steel roll with a circular ordered arrangement and a plane. As embossing increases (e.g., as surface features are imparted to the web), the surface area of ​​the web increases. While not strictly adhering to theory, it is predicted that increasing the surface area of ​​a web will increase its solubility. Therefore, by changing the surface area through embossing, the solubility characteristics of a nonwoven web can be advantageously adjusted.

[0190] Air-through bonding requires two materials with high thermoplastic content and different melting points in the nonwoven web. In air-through bonding, the unbonded nonwoven web is circulated around the drum while hot air flows from the outside towards the center of the drum. Air-through bonding is suitable for low-density and high-basis-weight materials (e.g., 20 g / m²). 2 Over 2000g / m 2 We can provide a nonwoven fabric having (up to). Nonwoven fabrics bonded by air bonding are very soft.

[0191] Chemical bonding includes solvent bonding and resin bonding. In particular, chemical bonding may use binder solutions of solvents and resins (e.g., latex, or waste polymers remaining from fiber preparation). The nonwoven fabric can be bonded by coating it with the binder solution and curing the binder by applying heat and pressure. The binder solution can be applied by immersing the nonwoven fabric in a bath of the binder solution, spraying the binder solution onto the nonwoven fabric, extruding the binder solution onto a web (foam bonding), and / or applying the binder solution as a print or gravure.

[0192] Chemical bonding can result in smaller, less orderly pores compared to those obtained in carding / melt spinning. While not strictly theoretical, it is believed that non-porous nonwoven webs can be formed if the resin solution used in chemical bonding is sufficiently concentrated and / or under sufficient pressure. The solvent used in chemical bonding induces partial solubilization of existing fibers in the web, causing the fibers to adhere together and bond. Therefore, the solvent for chemical bonding may be any solvent capable of at least partially solubilizing one or more fiber-forming materials of the nonwoven fibers. In exemplary embodiments, the solvent is selected from the group consisting of water, ethanol, methanol, DMSO, glycerin, and combinations thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the solvent is selected from the group consisting of water, glycerin, and combinations thereof. In exemplary embodiments, the binder solution comprises a solvent selected from the group consisting of water, ethanol, methanol, DMSO, glycerin, and combinations thereof, and further comprises a resin selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, latex, and polyvinylpyrrolidone. The binder provided in the solution assists the welding process, resulting in a more mechanically robust web. The temperature of the polymer solution is not particularly restricted and can be provided at room temperature (approximately 23°C).

[0193] In some embodiments, a second layer of fibers can be used to bond the nonwoven web. In exemplary embodiments, the nonwoven layer can be bonded using thermal, mechanical, or chemical bonding alone, or in addition to bonding using an additional layer of nonwoven web / fibers. A method for laminating a film onto a nonwoven web or foam substrate.

[0194] Methods for preparing laminates (e.g., water-soluble films and nonwoven fabrics) may include, but are not limited to, calendering (heat with pressure) or melt bonding.

[0195] Calendering is achieved by applying heat and pressure. The conditions for calendering can be easily determined by those skilled in the art. Generally, if the heat and / or pressure applied is too low, the fibers cannot bond sufficiently to the water-soluble film to form a laminate, and if the heat and / or pressure is too high, the fibers begin to fuse with each other and with the film. The chemical properties of the fibers and the film determine the upper and lower limits of the heat and / or pressure for calendering. While not strictly theoretical, it is believed that polyvinyl alcohol-based fibers degrade at temperatures above 235°C. In exemplary embodiments, the heat applied to the laminated nonwoven fabric and water-soluble film is about 50°C to about 200°C, for example, about 100°C to about 200°C, about 110°C to about 190°C, about 120°C to about 180°C, or about 130°C to about 160°C. In exemplary embodiments, the pressure applied to the laminated nonwoven fabric and water-soluble film is about 5 psi to about 50 psi, for example, about 10 psi to about 40 psi, about 15 psi to about 30 psi, or about 20 psi to about 30 psi. In exemplary embodiments, the heat applied to the laminated nonwoven fabric and water-soluble film is about 150°C, and the pressure applied is about 25 psi. In exemplary embodiments, the heat and pressure are applied for about 2 to 4 seconds. A method of embossing for calendering of fibers and / or films is contemplated. Embossing can be one-sided or two-sided. For example, embossing of water-soluble fibers and / or water-soluble films includes one-sided embossing using a single embossing roll consisting of a steel roll having a circular ordered arrangement and a plane. As the embossing increases (for example, as the amount of surface feature imparted to the web and / or film increases), the surface area of ​​the laminate increases. While not strictly theoretical, it is thought that a decrease in the surface area of ​​the article reduces the solubility of the web and / or film. Therefore, by changing the surface area through embossing, the solubility properties of nonwoven webs and / or water-soluble films can be advantageously adjusted.While not strictly adhering to theory, it is thought that increasing the degree of lamination of a unit-dose product reduces the surface area of ​​the laminate, increasing bonding between the water-soluble film and the nonwoven fabric, resulting in decreased solubility and longer liquid release time.

[0196] Melt bonding lamination is achieved by directly applying an adhesive to a water-soluble film, then placing a nonwoven web on top of the water-soluble film with the applied adhesive, and subjecting it to cold lamination to bond the nonwoven web and the water-soluble film. As used herein, the term “cold lamination” refers to a lamination process that involves pressure but no additional heating. The adhesive can be any adhesive suitable to those skilled in the art. In exemplary embodiments, the adhesive is Henkel National Adhesive. Direct application of the adhesive to the water-soluble film can be done by any method suitable to those skilled in the art, such as a hot-melt spray process. In exemplary embodiments, the melt bonding lamination process is a hot-melt spray process at 160°C, followed by 94 N / mm 2 This can include cold lamination at pressure.

[0197] The laminates of this disclosure generally comprise a water-soluble film and a nonwoven web. In exemplary embodiments, a laminate can have a degree of lamination ranging from about 1% to about 100%, for example, the degree of lamination may range from about 1% to about 90%, or about 25% to about 75%, or about 1% to about 50%, or about 5% to about 25%, or about 25% to about 100%, or about 50% to about 100%. As used herein, the term “degree of lamination” refers to the amount of total area of ​​the water-soluble film bonded to the nonwoven web. For example, a laminate with a degree of lamination of about 25% or less means that about 25% or less of the area of ​​the water-soluble film is bonded to the nonwoven web, for example, lamination only of the seal portion. For example, a laminate with a degree of lamination of about 100% means that about 100% of the area of ​​the water-soluble film is bonded to the nonwoven web. In exemplary embodiments where the degree of lamination is about 25% or less, lamination can be achieved during a heat-sealing process in which lamination is performed at each sealing portion of a unit-dose article. In exemplary embodiments where the degree of lamination is about 25% or less, this low degree of lamination may be advantageous because it results in the presence of unlaminated internal void volumes in the water-soluble film and nonwoven web, leading to physical separation of components with incompatible chemical properties, and also provides the opportunity for a two-step delivery system of the composition in the unit-dose article. In exemplary embodiments, the degree of lamination ranges from about 5% to about 25%. In exemplary embodiments, the degree of lamination ranges from about 50% to about 100%. Dissolution and disintegration test (modified MSTM-205)

[0198] The structures of nonwoven webs, water-soluble films, or laminates can be characterized or tested by dissolution time and disintegration time according to MonoSol Test Method 205 (MSTM 205), a method known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 7,022,656. The following description refers to nonwoven webs, but the same applies to the structures of water-soluble films or laminates.

[0199] Apparatus and materials 600 mL beaker Magnetic stirrer (Labline model 1250 or equivalent) Magnetic stirring rod (5cm) Thermometer (0~100℃±1℃) Template, stainless steel (3.8cm x 3.2cm) Timer (0-300 seconds, accuracy in seconds) Polaroid® 35mm slide mount (or equivalent) MonoSol 35mm Slide Mount Holder (or equivalent) distilled water

[0200] For each nonwoven web to be tested, three test samples measuring 3.8 cm × 3.2 cm are cut from the nonwoven web sample. The samples should be cut from the web area at equal intervals along the transverse direction of the web. Next, each sample is analyzed using the following procedure. Each specimen is mounted on a separate 35mm slide mount. Pour 500 mL of distilled water into a beaker. Measure the water temperature with a thermometer and, if necessary, heat or cool the water to maintain a temperature at which dissolution is determined, for example, 20°C (approximately 68°F). Mark the height of the water column. Place the magnetic stirrer on the bottom of the holder. Place the beaker on top of the magnetic stirrer, add the magnetic stirring rod to the beaker, turn on the stirrer, and adjust the stirring speed until a vortex is generated that is approximately one-fifth the height of the water column. Mark the depth of the vortex. Secure the 35mm slide mount to the alligator clip clamp of the 35mm slide mount holder so that the long end of the slide mount is parallel to the water surface. The holder's depth adjuster should be set so that when the holder is lowered, the end of the clamp is 0.6 cm below the water surface. One of the short sides of the slide mount should be adjacent to the side of the beaker, and the other should be positioned directly above the center of the stirring rod so that the surface of the nonwoven web is perpendicular to the water flow. The fixed slide and clamp are dropped into the water in a single motion, and the timer is started. Rupture occurs if the sample is damaged in the slide, for example, if a hole is created. Disintegration occurs if the nonwoven web breaks and no sample material remains in the slide. Once all visible nonwoven web has detached from the slide mount, the slide is lifted out of the water, and the solution is continuously monitored for any undissolved fragments of the nonwoven web. Dissolution occurs when all fragments of the nonwoven web are no longer visible and the solution becomes clear. In nonwoven samples prepared from polyvinyl alcohol polymers with a low degree of hydrolysis (e.g., about 65-88%), rupture and dissolution may occur together. If there is a difference of 5 seconds or longer between rupture and dissolution, the dissolution time is recorded independently of the rupture time.

[0201] Thinning time can also be determined using MSTM-205. Thinning of a nonwoven web occurs when some of the fibers that make up the web dissolve while others remain intact. Web thinning occurs before the web collapses. Thinning is characterized by a decrease in the opacity of the nonwoven web or an increase in its transparency. The gradual change from opacity to transparency can be observed visually. In MSTM-205, after dropping the fixed slide and clamp into the water, monitor the opacity / transparency of the nonwoven web. Record the time when no further change in opacity / transparency is observed (i.e., the web no longer decreases in opacity or increases in transparency) as the thinning time.

[0202] The results should include complete identification of the sample, individual and average decay and dissolution times, and the water temperature at which the sample was tested. Method for determining the solubility of single fibers

[0203] The solubility of a single fiber can be characterized by its water breaking temperature. The fiber breaking temperature can be determined as follows: A load of 2 mg / decitex is applied to a fiber with a fixed length of 100 mm. The water temperature is started at 1.5°C and then increased by 1.5°C every 2 minutes until the fiber breaks. The temperature at which the fiber breaks is expressed as the water breaking temperature.

[0204] The solubility of a single fiber can also be characterized by its complete dissolution temperature. The complete dissolution temperature can be determined as follows: Add 0.2 g of fiber with a fixed length of 2 mm to 100 mL of water. Start with a water temperature of 1.5 °C and then increase it by 1.5 °C every 2 minutes until the fiber is completely dissolved. Stir the sample at each temperature. The temperature at which the fiber completely dissolves in less than 30 seconds is indicated as the complete dissolution temperature. Diameter Test Method

[0205] The diameter of individual fibers or fibers within a nonwoven web is determined by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) or optical microscope and image analysis software. A magnification of 200–10,000x is selected so that the fibers are adequately magnified for measurement. When using an SEM, the sample is sputtered with a gold or palladium compound to avoid charging and vibration of the fibers in the electron beam. A manual procedure is used to determine the fiber diameter from images (on a monitor screen) captured by the SEM or optical microscope. Using mouse and cursor tools, one end of a randomly selected fiber is located, and then the width (i.e., perpendicular to the direction of the fiber at that point) is measured to the other end of the fiber. A scaled and calibrated image analysis tool provides scaling to obtain actual readings in microns. For fibers within a nonwoven web, several fibers are randomly selected across the nonwoven web sample using an SEM or optical microscope. At least two sections of the nonwoven web material are cut and tested in this manner. Perform these measurements at least 100 times in total, and then record all the data for statistical analysis. Use the recorded data to calculate the mean fiber, the standard deviation of the fibers, and the median fiber diameter. Tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and elongation tests

[0206] The structure of a nonwoven web, water-soluble film, or laminate, characterized by or tested for tensile strength (TS), modulus of elasticity (MOD) (or tensile stress), and elongation (MT) (as determined by elongation tests), is analyzed as follows. While the description below refers to a nonwoven web, it applies equally to the structure of a water-soluble film or laminate. This procedure includes determining the tensile strength and modulus of elasticity at 10% elongation according to ASTM D 882 ("Standard Test Methods for Tensile Properties of Thin Plastic Sheets") or an equivalent standard. An INSTRON tensile testing apparatus (Model 5544 tensile testing machine or equivalent) is used to collect data from the nonwoven web. A minimum of three test specimens, each cut using a reliable cutting tool to ensure dimensional stability and repeatability, are tested in the mechanical direction (MD) (where applicable) for each measurement. Tests are performed in a standard laboratory atmosphere of 23±2.0°C and 35±5% relative humidity. To determine the tensile strength or modulus of elasticity, a 1-inch (2.54 cm) wide sample of nonwoven web is prepared. The sample is then transferred to an INSTRON tensile testing machine, and the test is conducted while minimizing exposure to an environment with 35% relative humidity. The tensile testing machine is prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions, equipped with a 500N load cell, and calibrated. The correct grip and face (INSTRON grip with a rubber-coated, 25 mm wide face, model number 2702-032, or equivalent) are fitted. The sample is placed in the tensile testing machine and analyzed to determine the 100% modulus of elasticity (i.e., the stress required to achieve 100% film elongation), tensile strength (i.e., the stress required to break the film), and elongation % (length of the sample at break relative to its initial length). Generally, a higher elongation % of the sample indicates better processability characteristics of the nonwoven web (e.g., increased moldability into packets or pouches). Fiber shrinkage percentage test (MSTM)

[0207] The percentage of fiber shrinkage upon contact with a suitable amount of carrier solvent can be determined according to the fiber shrinkage percentage test under the MonoSol standard operating procedure.

[0208] Apparatus and materials 1. Fiber sample (approximately 3 grams) 2,500 mL beaker 3. Chilled deionized water (put in the refrigerator) 4. Deionized water 5. Paper clip 6. Alligator clips (solubility stand) 7. Stirring plate 8. Timer

[0209] Prepare the sample as follows. 1. Obtain a small bundle of untangled fibers. The approximate weight of the fiber bundle should be 0.013 grams (g) to 0.015 g, which is sufficient to ensure that the bundle of fibers is held in place by a paperclip and alligator clip. 2. Take a paperclip and thread the end of the fiber through the cut edge of the paperclip to pull it out. 3. Doing this will yield N=3 replicas for each unique fiber being tested, for each test temperature of 23°C and 10°C.

[0210] Device settings Pour 400 ml of water at each temperature into 1,500 ml beakers. Ensure the water temperature is accurately checked with a temperature probe before and during the test. 2. Secure the ruler to the top of the alligator clip with tape, and hang the ruler so that it is parallel to the alligator clip. 3. Place the beaker on the stirring plate, place the solubility stand next to the stirring plate, submerge the ruler in the water in the beaker, and then you can read the length.

[0211] Test Procedure 1. Attach the free end of the fiber, secured with a paperclip, to an alligator clip. 2. Submerge the test sample in the water in the beaker so that it is aligned with the ruler. 3. Start the timer and record the initial length of the fiber. The length of the fiber in the test sample is measured from the end of the alligator clip to the top of the paperclip. 4.2 minutes later, record the final length of the fiber. 5. Remove the clamp from the water and remove the sample from the clamp. Ensure that the outside and inside of the clamp are completely dry between each test.

[0212] Calculation of contraction percentage Contracted length = initial length - final length [3] Fiber shrinkage (%) = (length after shrinkage / initial length) × 100% [4] Use of skin treatment products

[0213] The skin treatment articles of this disclosure are suitable for a variety of applications. Suitable applications of water-dispersible or water-soluble skin treatment articles include the delivery of one or more active treatment formulations for delivering cosmetics and / or dermatological therapeutics to the user's skin. In exemplary embodiments, a water-soluble core substrate has one or more areas or regions configured to contain one or more active treatment formulations, e.g., cosmetics or dermatological therapeutics. For example, a water-soluble core substrate may have a first region containing a first active treatment formulation and a second region containing a second active treatment formulation that is the same as or different from the first active treatment formulation. When the water-soluble core substrate comes into contact with water having a temperature higher than 20°C or a temperature between 30°C and 40°C, the water-soluble core substrate becomes soluble and releases at least one of the one or more active treatment formulations, e.g., at least one of the first active treatment formulation or the second active treatment formulation. In this specification, a water-dispersible or water-soluble skin treatment article is described as a water-dispersible or water-soluble nonwoven fabric in the form of a facial mask configured to deliver, for example, a release of one or more active treatment formulations to a desired location on the user's facial skin, by containing one or more active treatment formulations in one or more areas or regions of the facial mask. However, in other exemplary embodiments, the water-dispersible or water-soluble skin treatment articles described herein are suitable for delivering active treatment formulations or other skin wellness formulations to, for example, other locations on the user's body skin. Furthermore, water-dispersible or water-soluble skin treatment articles may take forms other than facial masks, including, but are not limited to, wipes, sheets, pads, sachets, or strips.In exemplary embodiments, the active treatment formulation may include, but is not limited to, hyaluronic acid, aloe, chamomile extract, lactic acid, citric acid, hydrolyzed collagen, polysaccharides, peptides, surfactants or foaming agents, soaps or cleaners, shampoos, conditioners, body washes, facial cleansers, skin lotions, skin treatments, body oils, fragrances, hair treatments, bath salts, essential oils, bath bombs, enzymes, cleansing agents, surfactants, emulsifiers, chelating agents, pH adjusters, builders, structuring agents, free fragrances, encapsulated fragrances, preservatives, solvents, or minerals, and / or any ingredients suitable for inclusion in a skin treatment formulation, skin wellness formulation, or personal care formulation.

[0214] The active treatment formulation may be in the form of a solid, such as a powder, or a plurality of granules or particles, a gel, a liquid, or a slurry formulation, or any preferred combination of such a powder, solid, gel, liquid, or slurry formulation. [Examples]

[0215] An exemplary water-soluble facial mask having openings for the user's eyes, nose, and mouth comprises a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol nonwoven fabric base having a basis weight of 30 gsm, although the water-soluble nonwoven fabric base may have any preferred basis weight, e.g., 30 gsm to 80 gsm, and comprises water-soluble fibers produced from a carding and calendering process. The water-soluble base has a width of 7 inches and a length of 11 inches. The water-soluble nonwoven fabric base contains or comprises an active treatment formulation described in Table 1 below. Table 1: Exemplary active treatment formulations [Table 1]

[0216] Polysorbate 80 is a commercially available nonionic surfactant and emulsifier derived from oleic acid. SIPERNAT® 50 S is a particularly highly absorbent silica supplied by Evonik Silica and is available from Glenn Corporation in Warwick, RI, USA. Hi-Cap® 100 is a food-grade modified starch available from Ingredion in Westchester, IL, USA. Waxy N 2 7350 is a commercially available gluten-free natural corn starch.

[0217] The activated oil is absorbed into an absorbent powder such as silica or starch. The activated oil may include, but is not limited to, one or more essential oils, such as vegetable oils rich in vitamins and antioxidants, grape seed oil, olive oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, or rosehip seed oil, or any combination of suitable activated oils. A water-soluble binder is mixed with the absorbent powder / activated oil mixture to form an activated treatment formulation. The activated treatment formulation is then applied to the surface of a water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate. The water-soluble binder has a low water content, and therefore the activated treatment formulation does not dissolve the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate during application. In the examples, the water-soluble binder is a glycerin soap having advantages including cosmetic components, treatment properties (mild soap), low water content, presence of a carboxylate salt that can reduce the stickiness or tackiness of polyvinyl alcohol during the water dissolution step and provide a treatment experience, a low melting point (about 55°C) to avoid preparing an aqueous solution that may dissolve nonwoven masks, the presence of glycerin (moisturizing properties), and softness.

[0218] In the examples, glycerin soap, dipropylene glycol, and optionally a surfactant (cocamidopropyl oxide or polysorbate 80) are heated on a hot plate at a temperature of 110 °C until the glycerin soap melts. The absorbent powder and the active oil are mixed, and this mixture is added to the melted glycerin soap mixture to form three exemplary active treatment formulations. Each of the exemplary active treatment formulations is applied to the surface of each water-soluble non-woven fabric substrate at a wet film thickness of 12.7 microns using a bar coater (i.e., a laboratory rod number 5 (RD Specialties) wound with wire). The active treatment formulations are supplied in a substantially dry solid phase or slurry phase and can be applied to the water-soluble non-woven fabric substrate using any suitable application technique known to those skilled in the art for supplying solid formulations, such as air spraying, blasting, or tumbling techniques.

[0219] Each of the water-soluble non-woven fabric substrates to which the active treatment formulation has been applied is dried in an oven at 50 °C under vacuum (-0.7 bar g) for about 3 hours to remove the solvent from the active oil. Each of the water-soluble non-woven fabric substrates to which the active treatment formulation has been applied is cut into the shape of a facial mask using a Cricut cutting machine (see Figure 1). The non-woven fabric substrate to which the active treatment formulation has been applied to at least one surface can be cut into the shape of a facial mask using any suitable cutting technique known to those skilled in the art, such as die-cutting techniques.

[0220] The facial mask sheets of the examples have various sticky touch sensations depending on the absorbent powder used to absorb the active oil. The facial mask sheet of Example 1 is not sticky, the facial mask sheet of Example 2 is very sticky, and the facial mask sheet of Example 3 is slightly sticky. The advantages and reasons for adjusting the stickiness of the facial mask sheet are described above.

[0221] Next, the facial mask is packaged in a dry state, i.e., not containing water or substantially free of water, e.g., containing a small amount of water, and placed in a recyclable package, e.g., as shown in Figure 4. In an exemplary embodiment, a plurality of facial masks, e.g., 10 facial masks, 25 facial masks, or 50 facial masks, are packaged in a recyclable package.

[0222] In an exemplary embodiment, the facial mask is provided in a first dried and stable state (i.e., there is a need to significantly reduce secondary packaging materials), and water is added to the facial mask before or during use. Providing the facial mask in a dry state can serve or be beneficial for regulatory and / or product testing concerns regarding the concentration and / or pH of various materials or components of active treatment formulations that may be regulated as skin irritants, e.g., glycolic acid or sodium hyaluronate. [[ID=----]] [[ID=----]]

[0223] [[ID=----]] The examples described herein are general examples. The nonwoven fabric substrates as examples of active treatment formulations and core substrates in Table 1 are described for illustrative purposes only. The core substrates and active treatment formulations may have any preferred composition and / or any preferred form described herein. For example, the core substrate may include a water-dispersible or water-soluble nonwoven fabric, foam, or film, or any combination thereof. Such a core substrate may include one or more PVOH polymers, such as vinyl alcohol-vinyl acetate copolymer. For example, in a particular embodiment, the core substrate includes at least one nonwoven web, sheet, or layer containing a plurality of fibers. The plurality of fibers may include a first type of fiber containing a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer having a degree of hydrolysis in the range of about 75% to about 89%, and a second type of fiber containing a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer having a degree of hydrolysis in the range of about 90% to about 99.5%. The first type of fiber and the second type of fiber are present in a preferred ratio, for example, in the range of about 25:75 to about 95:5 or about 25:75 to about 75:25 by weight. In certain embodiments, the first type of fiber and the second type of fiber are mixed together in at least one nonwoven sheet or layer. In certain embodiments, the at least one nonwoven sheet or layer includes a first type of nonwoven sheet or layer made from the first type of fiber and a second type of nonwoven sheet or layer made from the second type of fiber, i.e., the two types of fiber are present in different nonwoven sheets. Exemplary skin treatment articles comprising exemplary active treatment formulations

[0224] An exemplary material for use in the preparation of exemplary water-soluble skin treatment articles, such as a water-soluble clay cleansing facial mask, is a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol nonwoven fabric substrate having a basis weight of 30 gsm, although the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate may have any preferred basis weight, e.g., 30 gsm to 80 gsm, or more specifically 30 gsm to 40 gsm, and contains water-soluble fibers produced from a carding and calendering process. The exemplary water-soluble substrate initially has a width of 7 inches and a length of 11 inches, and is then cut into generally uniform 1-inch x 1-inch test pieces. The water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate contains or includes an active treatment formulation as described in Table 2 below. As shown in Table 2, one or more active ingredients are absorbed by the clay powder material and mixed with glycerin soap as a binder. The combined active treatment formulation is then applied to the surface of the water-soluble PVOH nonwoven fabric substrate to produce an exemplary cleansing facial mask substrate. For example, the exemplary active treatment formulation of Example 4 is formed by mixing 5.0 wt.% camellia sinensis leaf extract and 15.0 wt.% aloe vera leaf juice with yellow kaolin clay and mixing until the yellow kaolin clay absorbs the camellia sinensis leaf extract and aloe vera leaf juice. Next, 50.0 wt.% glycerin soap is added to the mixture to form the active treatment formulation. The active treatment formulation is then applied to the surface of a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol nonwoven fabric substrate having a basis weight of 30 gsm to form a water-soluble cleansing facial mask. The water-soluble cleansing facial masks of Examples 5, 6, and 7 are formed similarly. The exemplary water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate initially has a width of 7 inches and a length of 11 inches, and is then cut into roughly uniform 1-inch × 1-inch test pieces. Adding glycerin soap as a binder improves the texture and overall aesthetics of water-soluble cleansing facial masks, which are generally well-received by consumers.A binder, such as glycerin soap, reduces the stickiness of the water-soluble facial mask while facilitating the application and bonding of the active treatment formulation to the surface of the water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol nonwoven fabric substrate without impairing the water solubility of the polyvinyl alcohol nonwoven fabric substrate. The examples herein provide exemplary formulations comprising a binder suitable for forming a water-soluble facial mask, but other suitable binders, such as those described herein, may be included in addition to or as a substitute for glycerin soap. Table 2: Exemplary active treatment formulations [Table 2] Exemplary skin treatment articles comprising exemplary active treatment formulations

[0225] An exemplary material for use in the preparation of exemplary water-soluble skin treatment articles, such as water-soluble moisturizing facial masks, is an exemplary water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol nonwoven fabric substrate having a basis weight of 30 gsm, although the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate may have any preferred basis weight, e.g., 30 gsm to 80 gsm, or more specifically 30 gsm to 40 gsm, and includes water-soluble fibers produced from a carding and calendering process. The exemplary water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate initially has a width of 7 inches and a length of 11 inches, and is then cut into generally uniform 1-inch x 1-inch test pieces. The exemplary water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate contains or includes an active treatment formulation as described in Table 3 below. In this example, the binder is water-soluble glycerin soap, but in alternative embodiments, other suitable water-soluble binders, such as the binder described above, may be used instead of water-soluble glycerin soap. Table 3: Exemplary active treatment formulations [Table 3] skin moisture measurement

[0226] To compare the effects of exemplary water-soluble moisturizing facial masks on skin moisture, the skin moisture levels of users will be measured before and after application of exemplary water-soluble moisturizing facial mask samples. Samples of water-soluble moisturizing facial mask samples will be prepared as follows, and the measurements will be recorded. 1. Cut the exemplary facial mask into roughly uniform pieces. 2. Wash the area of ​​the user's skin to which the exemplary facial mask piece will be applied with warm tap water and soap. 3. Dry the skin area with a towel. 4. Set the timer to 5 minutes and start it. During the 5 minutes, the user must remain within the test area without leaving it, for example, by walking around or leaving the building, to prevent or limit the exposure of the user's skin to external weather conditions, such as wind and / or heated air. 5.5 minutes have elapsed, and skin moisture is measured before applying the exemplary facial mask piece to the skin area. A skin moisture analyzer (e.g., Bio-Therapeutic bt-analyze Skin Moisture Analyzer, available from Bio-Therapeutic (www.biotherapeuticspa.com)) is used to measure the user's skin moisture in multiple areas of the user's skin surface where the exemplary facial mask piece is intended to be applied, e.g., five areas. 6. Clean the analyzer with a paper towel between measurements. 7. Moisten an exemplary facial mask piece with a few drops of water and place the exemplary facial mask piece on the user's chosen area of ​​skin. 8. Set the timer to 15 minutes and start it. 9. After 15 minutes, remove the example facial mask piece. 10. Remove any exemplary facial mask residue from the selected skin surface area and dry the selected skin surface area with a towel. 11. Set the timer to 5 minutes and start it. For 5 minutes, the user must remain within the test area without leaving it, for example, by walking around or leaving the building, to prevent or limit the exposure of the user's skin to external weather conditions, such as wind and / or heated air. 12. Using a skin moisture analyzer, measure the user's skin moisture in a selected area of ​​the user's skin surface to which an exemplary facial mask piece has been applied.

[0227] Table 4 below shows the skin moisture percentage measured in a user-selected skin surface area before and after applying the exemplary facial mask to the user's skin surface area, for exemplary facial mask pieces containing a nonwoven fabric base and with no exemplary active treatment formulation applied to the surface of the exemplary facial mask piece (NW only); exemplary facial mask piece containing the active treatment formulation of Example 8 applied to the surface of the exemplary facial mask piece (Ex. 8); exemplary facial mask piece containing the active treatment formulation of Example 4 applied to the surface of the exemplary facial mask piece (Ex. 4); and exemplary facial mask piece containing the active treatment formulation of Example 5 applied to the surface of the exemplary facial mask piece (Ex. 5). Table 4: Results of skin moisture measurement [Table 4]

[0228] As shown in Table 4, the "control" is the skin moisture measurement of the user's skin surface application area before applying the exemplary facial mask piece to a selected skin surface area. After applying the exemplary facial mask pieces containing the exemplary active treatment formulations of Examples 4, 5, and 8, the skin moisture measurement increases significantly. More specifically, the facial mask of Example 5 is suitable for treating the user's dry skin. As shown in Table 4, based on the skin moisture measurement, after applying the facial mask piece of Example 5, skin moisture increased significantly, i.e., by 54.0-94.5%, indicating that the facial mask of Example 5 is suitable for treating the user's dry skin. The skin moisture measurement also indicates that the binder facilitates the retention of the active treatment formulation on the nonwoven fabric substrate mask, thereby efficiently applying, transferring, or releasing the active treatment formulation from the nonwoven fabric substrate to the user's skin surface. More specifically, the binder facilitates the binding or adhesion of the active treatment formulation to the fibers of the nonwoven fabric substrate. The binder helps to retain the active treatment formulation on the user's skin surface during the application of the facial mask, thereby facilitating the treatment of the user's skin.

[0229] In the exemplary embodiments and examples described herein, the binder may be present in the active treatment formulation in a weight percentage (wt.%) up to 60 wt.%, more specifically in the range of 10 wt.% to 50 wt.%. In alternative embodiments, the binder may be present in the active treatment formulation in a weight percentage of less than 10 wt.% or more than 60 wt.%. In the exemplary embodiments and examples described herein, the binder may be a water-soluble glycerin soap, or another suitable water-soluble binder having a melting point lower than that of a water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate, for example, a water-soluble PVOH nonwoven fabric substrate having a melting point of 180°C.

[0230] Furthermore, the skin moisture measurement results shown in Table 4 indicate that the binder increases contact of the active treatment formulation with the user's skin surface, as indicated by a substantial increase in skin moisture (skin moisture increase (%)), and promotes the penetration of moisturizers into the user's skin. These results also indicate that active treatment formulations suitable for treating the relevant conditions can be applied to or incorporated into the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate of the exemplary facial mask. Referring to Example 4, for example, the active treatment formulation may contain an anti-inflammatory agent for treating inflammation on or under the user's skin surface, or the active treatment formulation may contain a medicinal ingredient suitable for treating, for example, acne and / or promoting pore cleansing. Other active treatment agents suitable for treating the relevant conditions may be included in the active treatment formulation. Exemplary skin treatment article comprising an exemplary active treatment formulation containing a water-soluble binder

[0231] An exemplary material for use in the preparation of exemplary water-soluble skin treatment articles, such as a water-soluble clay cleansing facial mask, is a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol nonwoven fabric substrate having a basis weight of 30 gsm, although the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate may have any preferred basis weight, e.g., 30 gsm to 80 gsm, or more specifically 30 gsm to 40 gsm, and includes water-soluble fibers produced from a carding and calendering process. The exemplary water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate initially has a width of 7 inches and a length of 11 inches, and is then cut into generally uniform 1-inch x 1-inch test pieces. The exemplary water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate includes a water-soluble polyethylene glycol (PEG) binder (water-soluble PEG4000 binder in examples) and an active treatment formulation, as described in Table 5 below. The exemplary PEG4000 is, for example, CARBOWAX® SENTRY® polyethylene glycol 4000 granules available from Dow. Table 5: Exemplary active treatment formulations [Table 5] Skin moisture measurement

[0232] To compare the effects of exemplary water-soluble cleansing facial masks on skin moisture, the moisture levels of the user's skin are measured before and after application of an exemplary cleansing facial mask piece. Samples of the water-soluble cleansing facial mask pieces are prepared as follows and the measured values are recorded. 1. Cut an exemplary facial mask into generally uniform pieces. 2. Wash the area of the user's skin to which the exemplary facial mask piece is to be applied with warm tap water and soap. 3. Dry the skin area with a towel. 4. Set a timer for 5 minutes and start it. During the 5 minutes, the user remains within the test area without leaving the test area, for example, without walking around or leaving the building, to prevent or limit the user's skin from being exposed to external weather effects such as wind and / or heated air. 5. After 5 minutes have elapsed, measure the skin moisture before applying the exemplary facial mask piece. Using a skin moisture analyzer (e.g., the Bio-Therapeutic bt-analyze Skin Moisture Analyzer available from Bio-Therapeutic (www.biotherapeuticspa.com)), measure the skin moisture of the user at multiple areas, for example, 5 areas, on the skin surface of the user intended to receive the application of the exemplary facial mask piece. 6. Clean the analyzer with a paper towel between measurements. 7. Moisten an exemplary facial mask piece with a few drops of water and place the cleansing mask piece on the user's selected skin surface area. 8. Set a timer for 15 minutes and start it. 9. After 15 minutes have elapsed, remove the exemplary facial mask piece. 10. Remove any residue of the exemplary facial mask from the selected skin surface area and dry the selected skin surface area with a towel. 11. Set the timer to 5 minutes and start it. For 5 minutes, the user must remain within the test area without leaving it, for example, by walking around or leaving the building, to prevent or limit the exposure of the user's skin to external weather conditions, such as wind and / or heated air. 12. Using a skin moisture analyzer, measure the user's skin moisture in a selected area of ​​the user's skin surface to which an exemplary facial mask piece has been applied. Table 6: Results of skin moisture measurement [Table 6]

[0233] Comparing the skin moisture measurement results for Example 4 shown in Table 4 above with the skin moisture measurement results for Example 10 shown in Table 6 above, it is shown that the glycerin soap used as a binder has a higher moisturizing effect (skin moisture increase percentage: +0.9 to 28.1%) than the PEG4000 binder (skin moisture increase percentage: +0 to 9.6%). Benefits of PVOH nonwoven fabric substrates compared to cellulose substrates

[0234] Exemplary materials were prepared for use in the preparation of exemplary water-soluble skin treatment articles, such as a water-soluble cleansing facial mask of an example containing a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol nonwoven fabric substrate having a basis weight of 30 gsm, and a water-soluble facial mask of a comparative cleansing facial mask containing a cellulose substrate. The exemplary water-soluble nonwoven cleansing facial mask may alternatively contain a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol nonwoven fabric substrate having any suitable basis weight, e.g., 30 gsm to 80 gsm, or more specifically, 30 gsm to 40 gsm, including water-soluble fibers produced from carding and calendering processes. Commercially available moisturizing serums were applied to the water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol nonwoven fabric substrate and the cellulose substrate, respectively, and the results of skin moisture measurements are shown in Table 7 below. Table 7: Results of skin moisture measurement [Table 7] skin moisture measurement

[0235] To compare the effects of exemplary water-soluble cleansing facial masks on skin moisture, the skin moisture levels of users will be measured before and after application of exemplary cleansing facial mask samples. Samples of water-soluble cleansing facial mask samples will be prepared as follows, and the measurements will be recorded. 1. Cut the exemplary facial mask into roughly uniform pieces. 2. Wash the area of ​​the user's skin to which the exemplary facial mask piece will be applied with warm tap water and soap. 3. Dry the skin area with a towel. 4. Set the timer to 5 minutes and start it. During the 5 minutes, the user must remain within the test area without leaving it, for example, by walking around or leaving the building, to prevent or limit the exposure of the user's skin to external weather conditions, such as wind and / or heated air. 5.5 minutes have elapsed, and skin moisture is measured before applying the exemplary facial mask piece to the skin area. A skin moisture analyzer (e.g., Bio-Therapeutic bt-analyze Skin Moisture Analyzer, available from Bio-Therapeutic (www.biotherapeuticspa.com)) is used to measure the user's skin moisture in multiple areas of the user's skin surface where the exemplary facial mask piece is intended to be applied, e.g., five areas. 6. Clean the analyzer with a paper towel between measurements. 7. Moisten an exemplary facial mask piece (cellulose-based and PVOH nonwoven fabric-based) with a few drops of serum, and place the exemplary facial mask piece on the user's chosen area of ​​skin. 8. Set the timer to 15 minutes and start it. 9. After 15 minutes, remove the example facial mask piece. 10. Remove any exemplary facial mask residue from the selected skin surface area and dry the selected skin surface area with a towel. 11. Set the timer to 5 minutes and start it. For 5 minutes, the user must remain within the test area without leaving it, for example, by walking around or leaving the building, to prevent or limit the exposure of the user's skin to external weather conditions, such as wind and / or heated air. 12. Using a skin moisture analyzer, measure the user's skin moisture in a selected area of ​​the user's skin surface to which an exemplary facial mask piece has been applied.

[0236] Referring to the moisture measurement results shown in Table 7, the relatively rapid drying of the cellulose substrate indicates high evaporation of the serum and / or relatively low penetration of the serum into the user's skin, which may be a result of the cellulose substrate not fitting well to the contours of the user's face and insufficient contact with the user's skin surface. Conversely, by changing the PVOH nonwoven fabric substrate to a gel-like composition, the evaporation of the serum is relatively low, the PVOH nonwoven fabric substrate fits better to the contours of the user's face, and contact with the user's skin surface is improved, resulting in relatively higher penetration of the serum into the user's skin. The gel-like composition of the PVOH nonwoven fabric substrate during use extends contact with the user's skin surface and promotes the absorption of the serum into the user's skin. The relatively high skin moisture shown for the exemplary PVOH nonwoven fabric substrate likely indicates better penetration of the serum into the user's skin as a result of the PVOH moisture barrier. Stickiness test of skin treatment products

[0237] To compare the perceived texture of exemplary cleansing masks by consumers, a random group of 10 people was selected. The control cleansing mask samples consisted only of a nonwoven fabric base, while the exemplary cleansing mask samples contained a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol nonwoven fabric base with a basis weight of 30 gsm containing the exemplary active treatment formulation of Example 10 (see Table 5 above). The exemplary cleansing mask samples were prepared as follows, and the measurements were recorded. 1. Each person is provided with a water-soluble nonwoven fabric base material, particularly the water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol nonwoven fabric base material of Example 10. 2. Participants are instructed to place an exemplary nonwoven fabric substrate on a skin surface of their choice. 3. Next, apply 4 drops of water to the exemplary nonwoven fabric substrate. 4. Leave the exemplary nonwoven fabric piece on the selected skin surface for 2 minutes. 5.2 minutes have passed, and participants are instructed to rub the gel into the selected skin surface. 6. Next, participants rate the perceived stickiness on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 indicates "not sticky" and 5 indicates "very sticky."

[0238] The results of the stickiness test are summarized in Table 8 below. Table 8: Results of the stickiness test [Table 8]

[0239] The average stickiness score for PVOH nonwoven fabric alone was 3.5 out of 5, while the average stickiness score for Example 10 was 2.7 out of 5. This indicates that in a random group of 10 participants in the study, the PVOH nonwoven fabric sample without any exemplary active treatment formulation was perceived as slightly stickier on average compared to the PVOH nonwoven fabric of Example 10. These results demonstrate that the PVOH nonwoven fabric of Example 10 can have a relatively better tactile and facial feel as perceived by consumers. In the exemplary embodiments and examples described herein, the exemplary binder facilitates the resolution of perceived problems related to the "stickiness" of conventional water-soluble PVOH nonwoven fabrics, such as the tactile and / or facial feel as perceived by consumers. Furthermore, as described herein, the exemplary binder binds or retains the active treatment formulation and / or activator to the fibers of the water-soluble PVOH nonwoven fabric to facilitate the delivery of the active treatment and / or activator to the user's skin. As shown in Table 7, the exemplary water-soluble PVOH nonwoven fabric substrate exhibits superior performance compared to the cellulose substrate.

[0240] The examples described herein are general examples. The active treatment formulations and nonwoven substrates are examples of core substrates described for illustrative purposes only. The core substrates and active treatment formulations may have any preferred composition and / or any preferred form described herein. For example, the core substrate may include a water-dispersible or water-soluble nonwoven fabric, foam, or film, or any combination thereof. Such a core substrate may include one or more PVOH polymers, such as vinyl alcohol-vinyl acetate copolymer. For example, in a particular embodiment, the core substrate includes at least one nonwoven web, sheet, or layer containing a plurality of fibers. The plurality of fibers may include a first type of fiber containing a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer having a degree of hydrolysis in the range of about 75% to about 89%, and a second type of fiber containing a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer having a degree of hydrolysis in the range of about 90% to about 99.5%. The first type of fiber and the second type of fiber are in a preferred ratio, for example, in the range of about 25:75 to about 95:5 or about 25:75 to about 75:25 by weight. In certain embodiments, the first type of fiber and the second type of fiber are mixed together in at least one nonwoven sheet or layer. In certain embodiments, the at least one nonwoven sheet or layer includes a first type of nonwoven sheet or layer made from the first type of fiber and a second type of nonwoven sheet or layer made from the second type of fiber, i.e., the two types of fiber are present in different nonwoven sheets.

[0241] Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are described in the following numbered paragraphs. These exemplary embodiments are intended to be illustrative and not to be limiting. Further aspects of this disclosure are described in the following paragraphs.

[0242] 1. An active treatment formulation for application to a substrate, comprising an activator and a water-soluble binder that is mixed with the activator to form an active treatment formulation.

[0243] 2. An active treatment formulation according to paragraph 1, further comprising an absorbent powder, wherein an activator is mixed with the absorbent powder to form an active mixture.

[0244] 3. An active treatment formulation according to paragraph 2, wherein the absorbable powder constitutes 5 wt.% to 40 wt.% of the active treatment formulation, the activator constitutes 10 wt.% to 60 wt.% of the active treatment formulation, and the water-soluble binder constitutes 10 wt.% to 50 wt.% of the active treatment formulation.

[0245] 4. An active treatment formulation according to paragraph 2, wherein the absorbent powder comprises one or more of the following: silica, unprocessed starch, modified starch, hydroxypropylated starch, crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone, crosslinked cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, metal oxides, calcium carbonate, talc, mica, stearic acid and its metal salts, treated silica, methyl methacrylate crosspolymer, dimethicone / vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, polymethylsilsesquioxane, carbon, polysilicone-22, lauroyl lysine, nylon, clay, or a combination thereof.

[0246] 5. An active treatment formulation according to any of paragraphs 1 to 4, further comprising a encapsulating material, wherein the activator is encapsulated in a solid form by the encapsulating material.

[0247] 6. An active treatment formulation according to any of paragraphs 1 to 5, wherein the activator is chemically modified and has a solid form.

[0248] 7. The active ingredients include oils, hyaluronic acid, aloe, chamomile extract, lactic acid, citric acid, hydrolyzed collagen, polysaccharides, peptides, foaming agents, ceramides, glycolic acid, alpha-hydroxy acids, amino acids, activated charcoal, sunscreen, avobenzone, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, activators, caffeine, ginseng, taurine, retinol, retinoic acid, niacinamide, salicylic acid or azelaic acid, cleansing agents, emulsifiers, chelating agents, pH adjusters, builders, structuring agents, and free-flowing ingredients. Active treatment formulations according to any of paragraphs 1-6, comprising one or more of the following: fragrances, encapsulated fragrances, preservatives, minerals, shampoos, conditioners, body washes, facial cleansers, skin lotions, skin treatments, body oils, fragrances, hair treatments, bath salts, essential oils, bath bombs, enzymes, exfoliants, benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, vitamins, ceramides, ferulic acid, peptides, or any combination thereof.

[0249] 8. An active treatment formulation according to any of paragraphs 1 to 7, wherein the water-soluble binder comprises one or more of the following: glycerin soap, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylic acid, polyethylene glycol (PEG-20 and more), modified polyethylene glycol, fatty acid salts, PEG-32 methyl ether dimethicone, bis-PEG-18 methyl ether dimethylsilane, sorbitol, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and combinations thereof.

[0250] An active treatment formulation according to any of paragraphs 1 to 8, existing in solid form with a water content of less than 9.10%.

[0251] 10. An active treatment formulation according to any of paragraphs 1 to 9, further comprising a carboxylate salt.

[0252] 11. An active treatment formulation according to any of paragraphs 1-10, further containing a humectant.

[0253] 12. An active treatment formulation according to paragraph 11, wherein the humectant is glycerin.

[0254] 13. An active treatment formulation according to any of paragraphs 1 to 12, further comprising a surfactant.

[0255] 14. An active treatment formulation according to any of paragraphs 1 to 13, further comprising a solvent.

[0256] 15. An active treatment formulation according to any of paragraphs 1 to 14, wherein the water-soluble binder is configured to bond the active treatment formulation to the surface of the substrate without dissolving the substrate.

[0257] 16. An active treatment formulation according to any of paragraphs 1 to 15, wherein a water-soluble binder encapsulates the activator.

[0258] 17. A skin treatment article configured to deliver a cosmetic or dermatological therapeutic agent to the skin of a user, wherein the skin treatment article comprises a core substrate containing a resin and forming a surface, and an active treatment formulation applied to the surface of the core substrate, the active treatment formulation comprising an activator and a water-soluble binder mixed with the activator to form the active treatment formulation, the water-soluble binder configured to bind the active treatment formulation to the surface of the substrate without dissolving the substrate, the skin treatment article is configured to be at least water-dispersible or water-soluble, and the core substrate becomes at least dispersible or soluble to release the active treatment formulation when in contact with water at a temperature higher than 10°C for a certain period of time according to test method MSTM-205.

[0259] 18. A skin treatment article according to paragraph 17, further comprising an absorbent powder configured to absorb an absorbent powder to form an active mixture.

[0260] 19. A skin treatment article according to paragraph 17 or 18, further comprising a encapsulating material, wherein an activator is encapsulated in a solid form by the encapsulating material.

[0261] 20. A skin treatment article according to any of paragraphs 17-19, having a chemically modified activator and being in solid form.

[0262] 21. Skin treatment articles according to any of paragraphs 17-20, which are substantially dry or solid with a moisture or solvent content of less than 10 wt.% before contact with water.

[0263] 22. A skin treatment item according to any of paragraphs 17-21, wherein the duration is in the range of approximately 30 seconds to approximately 300 seconds, approximately 30 seconds to approximately 600 seconds, or approximately 30 seconds to approximately 900 seconds.

[0264] 23. A skin treatment article according to any of paragraphs 17 to 22, wherein the core substrate has a dispersion or dissolution time of 300 seconds or less at a temperature of 30°C to 40°C in accordance with MSTM-205.

[0265] 24. A skin treatment article according to any of paragraphs 17-23, wherein the core substrate is substantially planar and can be molded to conform to the contours of the user's skin surface.

[0266] 25. A skin treatment article according to any of paragraphs 17 to 24, wherein the core substrate comprises at least one nonwoven fabric substrate containing a plurality of fibers comprising a resin selected from at least one of water-dispersible resins or water-soluble resins.

[0267] 26. A skin treatment article according to paragraph 25, wherein the resin is a polymer containing a vinyl alcohol portion.

[0268] 27. A skin treatment article according to paragraph 26, wherein the vinyl alcohol portion comprises a polyvinyl alcohol homopolymer, a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer, or a combination thereof.

[0269] 28. A skin treatment article according to paragraph 27, wherein the polyvinyl alcohol copolymer is a copolymer of vinyl acetate and vinyl alcohol.

[0270] 29. A skin treatment article according to paragraph 28, comprising a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer and an anionic modified copolymer.

[0271] 30. A skin treatment article according to paragraph 29, wherein the anionically modified copolymer comprises a carboxylate, a sulfonate, or a combination thereof.

[0272] 31. A skin treatment article according to paragraph 30, wherein the active treatment formulation contains one or more of the following: hyaluronic acid, aloe, chamomile extract, lactic acid, citric acid, hydrolyzed collagen, polysaccharides, peptides, surfactants, foaming agents, ceramides, glycolic acid, alpha-hydroxy acids, amino acids, activated charcoal, sunscreen, minerals (Zn), avobenzone, antioxidants, activators, caffeine, ginseng, taurine, retinol, retinoic acid, niacinamide, salicylic acid, lactic acid or azelaic acid, exfoliants, benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, vitamins, ferulic acid, or any combination thereof.

[0273] 32. A skin treatment article according to paragraph 31, wherein the active treatment formulation is at least one of the following: placed on the surface of a core substrate or embedded within the matrix of a core substrate.

[0274] 33. A skin treatment article according to paragraph 31, wherein the core substrate is saturated with an active treatment formulation, coated with an active treatment formulation, or impregnated with an active treatment formulation.

[0275] 34. A facial mask configured to deliver a cosmetic or dermatological treatment to the skin of a user, wherein the facial mask comprises a water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate comprising a plurality of fibers comprising a water-soluble resin, and an active treatment formulation contained in at least a portion of the nonwoven fabric substrate, wherein the active treatment formulation comprises an absorbent powder, an activator absorbed by the absorbent powder to form an active mixture, and a water-soluble binder mixed / combined with the active mixture to form an active treatment formulation, wherein the water-soluble binder is configured to bind the active treatment formulation to the surface of the substrate without dissolving the substrate, and the nonwoven fabric substrate becomes soluble to release the active treatment formulation from the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate when in contact with water at a temperature higher than 10°C for 300 seconds or less according to test method MSTM-205.

[0276] 35. A facial mask according to paragraph 34, wherein the nonwoven fabric base material has a dissolution time of 300 seconds or less at a temperature of 30°C to 40°C according to MSTM-205.

[0277] 36. A facial mask according to paragraph 34 or 35, wherein the nonwoven fabric base material has a moisture content of less than 10%.

[0278] 37. A facial mask according to any of paragraphs 34-36, wherein the nonwoven fabric base material is substantially planar and can be molded to conform to the contours of the user's skin surface.

[0279] 38. A facial mask according to any of paragraphs 34-37, wherein the active treatment formulation exists in solid form.

[0280] 39. A facial mask according to any of paragraphs 34-38, in which the active treatment formulation contains one or more of the following: hyaluronic acid, aloe, chamomile extract, lactic acid, citric acid, hydrolyzed collagen, polysaccharides, peptides, foaming agents, ceramides, glycolic acid, alpha-hydroxy acids, amino acids, activated charcoal, sunscreen, minerals (Zn), avobenzone, antioxidants, activators, caffeine, Korean ginseng, taurine, retinol, retinoic acid, niacinamide, salicylic acid, lactic acid, exfoliants, benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, vitamins, ferulic acid or azelaic acid, or any combination thereof.

[0281] 40. A facial mask according to any of paragraphs 34-39, in which multiple fibers are saturated with an active treatment formulation.

[0282] 41. A facial mask according to any of paragraphs 34-40, wherein the active treatment formulation is either placed on the surface of multiple fibers or embedded within multiple fibers.

[0283] 42. A facial mask according to any of paragraphs 34-41, comprising a fiber type in which multiple fibers include one or more of the following: polyvinyl alcohol homopolymer, polyvinyl alcohol copolymer, or a combination thereof.

[0284] 43. A facial mask according to paragraph 42, wherein the polyvinyl alcohol copolymer has a degree of hydrolysis ranging from approximately 75% to approximately 89%.

[0285] 44. A facial mask according to paragraph 43, wherein the polyvinyl alcohol copolymer has a degree of hydrolysis ranging from approximately 90% to approximately 99.9%.

[0286] 45. A facial mask made of a water-soluble nonwoven fabric base material that is biodegradable, according to any of paragraphs 34-44.

[0287] 46. ​​A method for producing a water-soluble skin treatment article, comprising the steps of: melting or dissolving a water-soluble binder, which optionally contains a surfactant and optionally contains a humectant and a surfactant, in a volatile solvent to form a molten or dissolved water-soluble binder; adding an activator to the molten or dissolved water-soluble binder to form an active treatment formulation; and applying the active treatment formulation to the surface of a core substrate containing a water-soluble resin.

[0288] 47. The method according to paragraph 46, further comprising the step of mixing an absorbent powder with an activator to form an active mixture before adding the activator to a molten or dissolved water-soluble binder.

[0289] 48. A method according to paragraph 46 or 47, wherein an active treatment formulation is applied to the surface of a core substrate using a bar coater.

[0290] 49. A method according to any of paragraphs 46-48, wherein the active treatment formulation is applied to the surface of the core substrate in a thickness of 5 to 50 microns, or 5 to 20 microns, or 10 to 15 microns, or 12.7 microns.

[0291] 50. A method according to any of paragraphs 46-49, further comprising the step of drying the skin treatment article to remove the solvent from the active treatment formulation.

[0292] 51. A method according to any of paragraphs 46-50, further comprising the step of cutting a water-soluble skin treatment article to form a water-soluble facial mask.

[0293] 52. A method according to any of paragraphs 46 to 51, wherein the step of applying the active treatment formulation includes at least one of saturating a core substrate with the active treatment formulation, placing the active treatment formulation on the surface of the core substrate, coating the surface of the core substrate with the active treatment formulation, embedding the active treatment formulation within the core substrate, or impregnating the core substrate with the active treatment formulation.

[0294] 53. A skin treatment article configured to deliver a cosmetic or dermatological therapeutic agent to the skin of a user, wherein the skin treatment article comprises a core substrate containing a resin, the core substrate having a first region containing a first active treatment formulation, the skin treatment article is substantially dry or solid and configured to be at least water-dispersible or water-soluble, the first active treatment formulation comprising an absorbent powder, an activator mixed with the absorbent powder to form an active mixture, and a water-soluble binder mixed / combined with the active mixture to form an active treatment formulation, the water-soluble binder configured to bond the active treatment formulation to the surface of the substrate without dissolving the substrate.

[0295] 54. A skin treatment article according to paragraph 53, wherein the core substrate becomes at least dispersible or soluble when in contact with water at a temperature higher than 10°C for a certain period of time according to test method MSTM-205, such that it releases at least one of the first active treatment formulation or the second active treatment formulation from the water-dispersible core substrate.

[0296] 55. A skin treatment article according to paragraph 53 or 54, wherein the absorbent powder comprises one or more of the following: silica, unprocessed starch, modified starch, hydroxypropylated starch, crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone, crosslinked cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, metal oxides, calcium carbonate, talc, mica, stearic acid and their metal salts, treated silica, methyl methacrylate crosspolymer, dimethicone / vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, polymethylsilsesquioxane, carbon, polysilicone-22, lauroyl lysine, nylon, clay, or a combination thereof.

[0297] 56. The activators include oils, hyaluronic acid, aloe, chamomile extract, lactic acid, citric acid, hydrolyzed collagen, polysaccharides, peptides, foaming agents, ceramides, glycolic acid, alpha-hydroxy acids, amino acids, activated charcoal, sunscreen, avobenzone, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, activators, caffeine, ginseng, taurine, retinol, retinoic acid, niacinamide, salicylic acid or azelaic acid, cleansing agents, emulsifiers, chelating agents, pH adjusters, builders, structuring agents, and more. Skin treatment articles as described in any of paragraphs 53-55, comprising one or more of the following: loose fragrance, encapsulated fragrance, preservatives, minerals, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, facial cleanser, skin lotion, skin treatment, body oil, fragrance, hair treatment, bath salt, essential oil, bath bomb, enzyme, exfoliant, benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, vitamins, ferulic acid, or any combination thereof.

[0298] 57. A skin treatment article according to any of paragraphs 53-56, wherein the water-soluble binder comprises one or more of the following: glycerin soap, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylic acid, polyethylene glycol (PEG-20 and more), modified polyethylene glycol, fatty acid salts, PEG-32 methyl ether dimethicone, bis-PEG-18 methyl ether dimethylsilane, sorbitol, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and combinations thereof.

[0299] 58. A skin treatment article according to any of paragraphs 53 to 57, wherein the active treatment formulation exists in a solid form having a water content of less than 10%.

[0300] 59. A skin treatment article configured to deliver a cosmetic or dermatological treatment to the skin of a user, comprising: a first nonwoven fabric substrate having a first region comprising a plurality of fibers comprising a water-soluble resin or a water-dispersible resin; a first active treatment formulation contained in the first region; a second nonwoven fabric substrate having a second region, bonded to the first nonwoven fabric substrate and comprising a plurality of fibers comprising either a water-dispersible resin or a water-soluble resin; and a second active treatment formulation contained in the second region, wherein at least one of the first active treatment formulation or the second active treatment formulation comprises an absorbent powder, an activator mixed with the absorbent powder to form an active mixture, and a water-soluble binder mixed / combined with the active mixture to form an active treatment formulation, wherein the water-soluble binder is configured to bond the active treatment formulation to the surface of the substrate without dissolving the substrate.

[0301] 60. A skin treatment article according to paragraph 59, wherein when the first nonwoven fabric substrate is in contact with water having a temperature higher than 10°C for 300 seconds or less, the first nonwoven fabric substrate becomes soluble or dispersible so as to release the first active treatment formulation from the first nonwoven fabric substrate according to MSTM-205.

[0302] 61. A skin treatment article according to paragraph 59 or 60, wherein the absorbent powder comprises one or more of the following: silica, unprocessed starch, modified starch, hydroxypropylated starch, crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone, crosslinked cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, metal oxides, calcium carbonate, talc, mica, stearic acid and their metal salts, treated silica, methyl methacrylate crosspolymer, dimethicone / vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, polymethylsilsesquioxane, carbon, polysilicone-22, lauroyl lysine, nylon, clay, or a combination thereof.

[0303] 62. The activators include oils, hyaluronic acid, aloe, chamomile extract, lactic acid, citric acid, hydrolyzed collagen, polysaccharides, peptides, foaming agents, ceramides, glycolic acid, alpha-hydroxy acids, amino acids, activated charcoal, sunscreen, avobenzone, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, activators, caffeine, ginseng, taurine, retinol, retinoic acid, niacinamide, salicylic acid or azelaic acid, cleansing agents, emulsifiers, chelating agents, pH adjusters, builders, structuring agents, and more. Skin treatment articles as described in any of paragraphs 59-61, comprising one or more of the following: loose fragrance, encapsulated fragrance, preservative, mineral, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, facial cleanser, skin lotion, skin treatment, body oil, fragrance, hair treatment, bath salt, essential oil, bath bomb, enzyme, exfoliant, benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, vitamin, ferulic acid, or any combination thereof.

[0304] 63. A skin treatment article according to any of paragraphs 59-62, wherein the water-soluble binder comprises one or more of the following: glycerin soap, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylic acid, polyethylene glycol (PEG-20 and more), modified polyethylene glycol, fatty acid salts, PEG-32 methyl ether dimethicone, bis-PEG-18 methyl ether dimethylsilane, sorbitol, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and combinations thereof.

[0305] 64. A skin treatment article according to any of paragraphs 59 to 63, wherein the active treatment formulation exists in a solid form having a water content of less than 10%.

[0306] 65. A skin treatment article according to any of paragraphs 59-64, wherein the first nonwoven fabric substrate is water-soluble, and the second nonwoven fabric substrate comprises a plurality of fibers containing a water-dispersible resin, and when the second nonwoven fabric substrate is in contact with water having a temperature higher than 10°C for 300 seconds or less, the second nonwoven fabric substrate becomes dispersible so as to release a second active treatment formulation from the second nonwoven fabric substrate according to MSTM-205.

[0307] 66. A skin treatment article according to any of paragraphs 59-65, wherein the first nonwoven fabric is water-soluble, the second nonwoven fabric substrate contains a plurality of fibers containing a water-soluble resin, and when the second nonwoven fabric substrate is in contact with water having a temperature higher than 10°C for 300 seconds or less, the second nonwoven fabric substrate becomes soluble so as to release a second active treatment formulation from the second nonwoven fabric substrate according to MSTM-205.

[0308] 67. A skin treatment article according to any of paragraphs 59 to 66, further comprising a water-soluble or water-dispersible film bonded to a nonwoven fabric substrate.

[0309] All percentages, parts, and ratios referred to herein are, in some cases, based on the total dry weight of the fiber composition, film composition, or packaging material composition of this disclosure, and unless otherwise specified, all measurements made are at approximately 25°C. All percentages, parts, and ratios referred to herein with respect to liquid formulations are based on the total weight of the liquid formulation. All such weights, in the case of enumerated components, are based on the activity level and therefore do not include carriers or by-products that may be present in commercially available materials unless otherwise specified.

[0310] All ranges described herein include all possible subsets of a range and any combination of such subset ranges. By default, unless otherwise stated, a range includes the stated endpoints. Where a range of values ​​is provided, each value between the upper and lower limits of that range, and any other stated or intervening values ​​within that range, are understood to be included in this disclosure. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may be independently included in the smaller range and are also included in this disclosure, subject to any restrictions specifically excluded within the described range. Where a described range includes one or both of the limit values, a range excluding one or both of those limit values ​​is also intended to be part of this disclosure.

[0311] For example, with respect to parameters of a subject being described, or any numerical values ​​described herein as part of a range relating to a subject being described, alternatives forming part of the description are explicitly intended to be functionally equivalent ranges around the particular numerical value (for example, for a dimension disclosed as "40 millimeters (mm)", the intended alternative embodiment is "about 40 mm").

[0312] Throughout this specification, references to “exemplary embodiments” or “embodiments” may mean that certain features, structures, or characteristics described in relation to a particular embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the claimed subject matter. Therefore, the recurring phrases “exemplary embodiments” or “exemplary embodiment” throughout this specification are not necessarily intended to refer to the same embodiment or any one specific embodiment described. Furthermore, it should be understood that certain features, structures, or characteristics described may be combined in various ways in one or more embodiments. Generally, these and other points may naturally vary depending on the specific context of use. Therefore, the specific context of the description, or the use of these terms, may provide useful guidance regarding the inferences drawn from that context.

[0313] While this subject matter has been described using terminology specific to structural features and / or methodological actions, it should be understood that the subject matter as defined in the attached claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described. Rather, certain features and actions are disclosed as exemplary forms for implementing the claims.

[0314] Those skilled in the art will notice that virtually unlimited variations are possible with respect to the above description, and that the examples and accompanying figures are merely for illustrating one or more embodiments.

[0315] Those skilled in the art will understand that various other modifications can be made without departing from the claimed subject matter, and that equivalents may be used instead. Additionally, many modifications can be made to adapt specific situations to the teachings of the claimed subject matter without departing from the central concepts described herein. Therefore, while the claimed subject matter is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, such claimed subject matter is intended to include all embodiments and their equivalents included in the appended claims.

[0316] The detailed description above includes numerous specific details to ensure a thorough understanding of the claimed subject matter. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the claimed subject matter can be implemented even without these specific details. In other cases, methods, apparatus, or systems that should be known to those skilled in the art are not described in detail so as not to obscure the claimed subject matter.

Claims

1. An active treatment formulation for application to a substrate, Activating agents, and A water-soluble binder that is mixed with the activator to form the active treatment formulation. An active treatment formulation containing [the specified ingredient].

2. The active treatment formulation according to claim 1, further comprising an absorbent powder, wherein the activator is mixed with the absorbent powder to form an active mixture.

3. The active treatment formulation according to claim 2, wherein the absorbable powder constitutes 5 wt.% to 40 wt.% of the active treatment formulation, the activator constitutes 10 wt.% to 60 wt.% of the active treatment formulation, and the water-soluble binder constitutes 10 wt.% to 50 wt.% of the active treatment formulation.

4. The active treatment formulation according to claim 2, wherein the absorbent powder comprises one or more of the following: silica, unprocessed starch, modified starch, hydroxypropylated starch, crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone, crosslinked cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, metal oxides, calcium carbonate, talc, mica, stearic acid and its metal salts, treated silica, methyl methacrylate crosspolymer, dimethicone / vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, polymethylsilsesquioxane, carbon, polysilicone-22, lauroyl lysine, nylon, clay, or a combination thereof.

5. The active treatment formulation according to claim 1, further comprising a encapsulating material, wherein the activator is encapsulated in a solid form by the encapsulating material.

6. The active treatment formulation according to claim 1, wherein the activator is chemically modified and has a solid form.

7. The aforementioned activators include oil, hyaluronic acid, aloe, chamomile extract, lactic acid, citric acid, hydrolyzed collagen, polysaccharides, peptides, foaming agents, ceramide, glycolic acid, alpha-hydroxy acid, amino acids, activated charcoal, sunscreen, avobenzone, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, activators, caffeine, ginseng, taurine, retinol, retinoic acid, niacinamide, salicylic acid or azelaic acid, cleansing agents, emulsifiers, chelating agents, pH adjusters, builders, structuring agents, and more. The active treatment formulation according to claim 1, comprising one or more of the following: loose fragrance, encapsulated fragrance, preservative, mineral, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, facial cleanser, skin lotion, skin treatment, body oil, fragrance, hair treatment, bath salt, essential oil, bath bomb, enzyme, exfoliant, benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, vitamin, ceramide, ferulic acid, peptide, or any combination thereof.

8. The active treatment formulation according to claim 1, wherein the water-soluble binder comprises one or more of glycerin soap, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylic acid, polyethylene glycol (PEG-20 and more), modified polyethylene glycol, fatty acid salts, PEG-32 methyl ether dimethicone, bis-PEG-18 methyl ether dimethylsilane, sorbitol, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and combinations thereof.

9. The active treatment formulation according to claim 1, which is in a solid form having a water content of less than 10%.

10. The active treatment formulation according to claim 1, further comprising one or more of a carboxylate, a humectant, a surfactant, or a solvent.

11. The active treatment formulation according to claim 10, wherein the humectant is glycerin.

12. The active treatment formulation according to claim 1, wherein the water-soluble binder is configured to bond the active treatment formulation to the surface of the substrate without dissolving the substrate.

13. The active treatment formulation according to claim 1, wherein the water-soluble binder encapsulates the activator.

14. A skin treatment article configured to deliver a cosmetic or dermatological treatment to the user's skin, wherein the skin treatment article is A core substrate containing resin and forming a surface, The activated treatment formulation applied to the surface of the core substrate. The active treatment formulation comprises an activator and a water-soluble binder which is mixed with the activator to form the active treatment formulation, wherein the water-soluble binder is configured to bond the active treatment formulation to the surface of the substrate without dissolving the substrate. The skin treatment article is configured to be at least water-dispersible or water-soluble, and the core substrate is at least dispersible or soluble so that it releases the active treatment formulation when in contact with water at a temperature higher than 10°C for a certain period of time according to test method MSTM-205. Skin treatment products.

15. The skin treatment article according to claim 14, further comprising an absorbable powder configured to absorb the activator and form an active mixture.

16. The skin treatment article according to claim 14, further comprising a encapsulating material, wherein the activator is encapsulated in a solid form by the encapsulating material.

17. The skin treatment article according to claim 14, wherein the activator is chemically modified and has a solid form.

18. The skin treatment article according to claim 14, which is substantially dry or a solid having a water or solvent content of less than 10 wt.% before contact with water.

19. The skin treatment article according to claim 14, wherein the aforementioned period is in the range of approximately 30 seconds to approximately 300 seconds, or approximately 30 seconds to approximately 600 seconds, or approximately 30 seconds to approximately 900 seconds.

20. The skin treatment article according to claim 14, wherein the core substrate has a dispersion time or dissolution time of 300 seconds or less at a temperature of 30°C to 40°C in accordance with MSTM-205.

21. The skin treatment article according to claim 1, wherein the core substrate is substantially planar and can be molded to conform to the contour of the user's skin surface.

22. The skin treatment article according to claim 11, wherein the core substrate comprises at least one nonwoven fabric substrate comprising a plurality of fibers containing a resin selected from at least one of a water-dispersible resin or a water-soluble resin.

23. The skin treatment article according to claim 22, wherein the resin is a polymer containing a vinyl alcohol portion.

24. The skin treatment article according to claim 23, wherein the vinyl alcohol portion comprises a polyvinyl alcohol homopolymer, a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer, or a combination thereof.

25. The skin treatment article according to claim 24, wherein the polyvinyl alcohol copolymer is a copolymer of vinyl acetate and vinyl alcohol.

26. The skin treatment article according to claim 25, wherein the polyvinyl alcohol copolymer comprises an anionic modified copolymer.

27. The skin treatment article according to claim 26, wherein the anionically modified copolymer comprises a carboxylate, a sulfonate, or a combination thereof.

28. The skin treatment article according to claim 27, wherein the active treatment preparation comprises one or more of the following: hyaluronic acid, aloe, chamomile extract, lactic acid, citric acid, hydrolyzed collagen, polysaccharides, peptides, surfactants, foaming agents, ceramides, glycolic acid, alpha-hydroxy acids, amino acids, activated charcoal, sunscreen, minerals (Zn), avobenzone, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, activators, caffeine, ginseng, taurine, retinol, retinoic acid, niacinamide, salicylic acid, lactic acid or azelaic acid, exfoliants, benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, vitamins, ferulic acid, or any combination thereof.

29. The skin treatment article according to claim 28, wherein the active treatment formulation is disposed on the surface of the core substrate, disposed on the fibers of the core substrate, or embedded within the matrix of the core substrate.

30. The skin treatment article according to claim 28, wherein the core substrate is saturated with the active treatment formulation, coated with the active treatment formulation, or impregnated with the active treatment formulation.

31. A facial mask configured to deliver a cosmetic or dermatological treatment to the user's skin, wherein the facial mask is A water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate containing multiple fibers including a water-soluble resin, and An active treatment preparation contained in at least a portion of the nonwoven fabric substrate. The active treatment formulation comprises an absorbent powder, an activator absorbed by the absorbent powder to form an active mixture, and a water-soluble binder mixed with the active mixture to form the active treatment formulation, wherein the water-soluble binder is configured to bond the active treatment formulation to the surface of the substrate without dissolving the substrate. When the nonwoven fabric substrate is brought into contact with water at a temperature higher than 10°C for 300 seconds or less, according to test method MSTM-205, it becomes soluble in such a way that it releases the active treatment formulation from the water-soluble nonwoven fabric substrate. Facial mask.

32. The facial mask according to claim 31, wherein the nonwoven fabric base material has a dissolution time of 300 seconds or less at a temperature of 30°C to 40°C according to MSTM-205.

33. The facial mask according to claim 31, wherein the nonwoven fabric base material has a moisture content of less than 10%.

34. The facial mask according to claim 31, wherein the nonwoven fabric base material is substantially planar and can be molded to conform to the contour of the user's skin surface.

35. The facial mask according to claim 31, wherein the active treatment formulation is in solid form.

36. The facial mask according to claim 31, wherein the active treatment preparation comprises one or more of the following: hyaluronic acid, aloe, chamomile extract, lactic acid, citric acid, hydrolyzed collagen, polysaccharides, peptides, foaming agents, ceramides, glycolic acid, alpha-hydroxy acids, amino acids, activated charcoal, sunscreen, minerals (Zn), avobenzone, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, activators, caffeine, Korean ginseng, taurine, retinol, retinoic acid, niacinamide, salicylic acid, lactic acid, exfoliants, benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, vitamins, ferulic acid or azelaic acid, or any combination thereof.

37. The facial mask according to claim 31, wherein the plurality of fibers are saturated with the active treatment formulation.

38. The facial mask according to claim 31, wherein the active treatment formulation is either placed on the surface of the plurality of fibers or embedded within the plurality of fibers.

39. The facial mask according to claim 31, wherein the plurality of fibers include a fiber type comprising one or more of polyvinyl alcohol homopolymers, polyvinyl alcohol copolymers, or combinations thereof.

40. The facial mask according to claim 39, wherein the polyvinyl alcohol copolymer has a degree of hydrolysis in the range of about 75% to about 89%.

41. The facial mask according to claim 40, wherein the polyvinyl alcohol copolymer has a degree of hydrolysis in the range of about 90% to about 99.9%.

42. The facial mask according to claim 31, wherein the water-soluble nonwoven fabric base material is biodegradable.

43. A method for producing a water-soluble skin treatment article, The process involves the steps of: dissolving or melting a water-soluble binder containing a surfactant as needed, and a humectant and surfactant as needed, in a volatile solvent to form a molten or dissolved water-soluble binder; The steps include adding an activator to the molten or dissolved water-soluble binder to form an active treatment formulation, The steps include applying the active treatment formulation to the surface of a core substrate containing a water-soluble resin, and Methods that include...

44. The method according to claim 43, further comprising the step of mixing an absorbent powder with the activator to form an active mixture before adding the activator to the molten or dissolved water-soluble binder.

45. The method according to claim 43, wherein the active treatment formulation is applied to the surface of a core substrate using a bar coater.

46. The method according to claim 43, wherein the active treatment formulation is applied to the surface of the core substrate in a thickness of 5 to 50 microns, or 5 to 20 microns, or 10 to 15 microns, or 12.7 microns.

47. The method according to claim 43, further comprising the step of drying the skin treatment article to remove the solvent from the active treatment formulation.

48. The method according to claim 43, further comprising the step of cutting the water-soluble skin treatment article to form a water-soluble facial mask.

49. The method according to claim 43, wherein the step of applying the active treatment formulation includes at least one of saturating the core substrate with the active treatment formulation, placing the active treatment formulation on the surface of the core substrate, coating the surface of the core substrate with the active treatment formulation, embedding the active treatment formulation within the core substrate, or impregnating the core substrate with the active treatment formulation.

50. A skin treatment article configured to deliver a cosmetic or dermatological treatment to the skin of a user, wherein the skin treatment article comprises a core substrate containing a resin, the core substrate having a first region containing a first active treatment formulation, and the skin treatment article is substantially dry or solid and configured to be at least water-dispersible or water-soluble. The first active treatment formulation is Absorbent powder, An activator that is mixed with the absorbent powder to form an active mixture, and A water-soluble binder that is mixed with the aforementioned active mixture to form the active treatment formulation. The water-soluble binder is configured to bond the active treatment formulation to the surface of the substrate without dissolving the substrate. Skin treatment products.

51. The skin treatment article according to claim 50, wherein the core substrate, when in contact with water having a temperature higher than 10°C for a certain period of time according to test method MSTM-205, becomes at least dispersible or soluble so as to release at least one of the first active treatment formulation or the second active treatment formulation from the water-dispersible core substrate.

52. The skin treatment article according to claim 50, wherein the absorbent powder comprises one or more of the following: silica, unprocessed starch, modified starch, hydroxypropylated starch, crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone, crosslinked cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, metal oxides, calcium carbonate, talc, mica, stearic acid and its metal salts, treated silica, methyl methacrylate crosspolymer, dimethicone / vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, polymethylsilsesquioxane, carbon, polysilicone-22, lauroyl lysine, nylon, clay, or a combination thereof.

53. The skin treatment article according to claim 50, wherein the activator comprises one or more of the following: oil, hyaluronic acid, aloe, chamomile extract, lactic acid, citric acid, hydrolyzed collagen, polysaccharides, peptides, foaming agents, ceramides, glycolic acid, alpha-hydroxy acids, amino acids, activated charcoal, sunscreen, avobenzone, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, activators, caffeine, ginseng, taurine, retinol, retinoic acid, niacinamide, salicylic acid or azelaic acid, cleansing agents, emulsifiers, chelating agents, pH adjusters, builders, structuring agents, free fragrances, encapsulated fragrances, preservatives, minerals, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, facial cleanser, skin lotion, skin treatment, body oil, fragrance, hair treatment, bath salts, essential oils, bath bombs, enzymes, exfoliants, benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, vitamins, ferulic acid, or any combination thereof.

54. The skin treatment article according to claim 50, wherein the water-soluble binder comprises one or more of glycerin soap, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylic acid, polyethylene glycol (PEG-20 and more), modified polyethylene glycol, fatty acid salts, PEG-32 methyl ether dimethicone, bis-PEG-18 methyl ether dimethylsilane, sorbitol, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and combinations thereof.

55. The skin treatment article according to claim 50, wherein the active treatment formulation is in a solid form having a water content of less than 10%.

56. A skin treatment article configured to deliver a cosmetic or dermatological treatment to the user's skin, A first nonwoven fabric substrate comprising a plurality of fibers containing a water-soluble resin or a water-dispersible resin, having a first region, The first active treatment formulation contained in the first region, A second nonwoven fabric substrate having a second region, which is bonded to the first nonwoven fabric substrate and contains a plurality of fibers containing either a water-dispersible resin or a water-soluble resin, and The second active treatment formulation contained in the second region Includes, At least one of the first active treatment formulation or the second active treatment formulation is Absorbent powder, An activator that is mixed with the absorbent powder to form an active mixture, and A water-soluble binder that is mixed / combined with the aforementioned active mixture to form the aforementioned active treatment formulation. The water-soluble binder is configured to bond the active treatment formulation to the surface of the substrate without dissolving the substrate. Skin treatment products.

57. The skin treatment article according to claim 56, wherein when the first nonwoven fabric substrate is in contact with water having a temperature higher than 10°C for 300 seconds or less, the first nonwoven fabric substrate becomes soluble or dispersible in order to release the first active treatment formulation from the first nonwoven fabric substrate in accordance with MSTM-205.

58. The skin treatment article according to claim 56, wherein the absorbent powder comprises one or more of the following: silica, unprocessed starch, modified starch, hydroxypropylated starch, crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone, crosslinked cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, metal oxides, calcium carbonate, talc, mica, stearic acid and its metal salts, treated silica, methyl methacrylate crosspolymer, dimethicone / vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, polymethylsilsesquioxane, carbon, polysilicone-22, lauroyl lysine, nylon, clay, or a combination thereof.

59. The skin treatment article according to claim 56, wherein the activator comprises one or more of the following: oil, hyaluronic acid, aloe, chamomile extract, lactic acid, citric acid, hydrolyzed collagen, polysaccharides, peptides, foaming agents, ceramides, glycolic acid, alpha-hydroxy acids, amino acids, activated charcoal, sunscreen, avobenzone, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, activators, caffeine, ginseng, taurine, retinol, retinoic acid, niacinamide, salicylic acid or azelaic acid, cleansing agents, emulsifiers, chelating agents, pH adjusters, builders, structuring agents, free fragrances, encapsulated fragrances, preservatives, minerals, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, facial cleanser, skin lotion, skin treatment, body oil, fragrance, hair treatment, bath salts, essential oils, bath bombs, enzymes, exfoliants, benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, vitamins, ferulic acid, or any combination thereof.

60. The skin treatment article according to claim 56, wherein the water-soluble binder comprises one or more of glycerin soap, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylic acid, polyethylene glycol (PEG-20 and more), modified polyethylene glycol, fatty acid salts, PEG-32 methyl ether dimethicone, bis-PEG-18 methyl ether dimethylsilane, sorbitol, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and combinations thereof.

61. The skin treatment article according to claim 56, wherein the active treatment formulation is in a solid form having a water content of less than 10%.

62. The skin treatment article according to claim 56, wherein the first nonwoven fabric substrate is water-soluble, the second nonwoven fabric substrate comprises a plurality of fibers containing a water-dispersible resin, and when the second nonwoven fabric substrate is in contact with water having a temperature higher than 10°C for 300 seconds or less, the second nonwoven fabric substrate becomes dispersible so as to release the second active treatment formulation from the second nonwoven fabric substrate in accordance with MSTM-205.

63. The skin treatment article according to claim 56, wherein the first nonwoven material is water-soluble, the second nonwoven material comprises a plurality of fibers containing a water-soluble resin, and when the second nonwoven material is in contact with water having a temperature higher than 10°C for 300 seconds or less, the second nonwoven material becomes soluble so as to release the second active treatment formulation from the second nonwoven material in accordance with MSTM-205.

64. The skin treatment article according to claim 56, further comprising a water-soluble or water-dispersible film bonded to the nonwoven fabric substrate.

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