Botanical Antimicrobial Wipe Coating With Moisture-Activated Encapsulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing antimicrobial wipes using essential oils face issues with environmental compatibility due to volatility and instability, leading to reduced effectiveness and potential damage to food products when used in high concentrations.

Innovation Solution

A fibrous wipe treated with an oil-in-water emulsion containing a botanical oil and a water-dispersible biopolymer, where the biopolymer encapsulates the botanical oil, creating a stable antimicrobial concentrate that can be activated upon moisture application, maintaining long-term stability and efficacy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If essential oils are used in antimicrobial wipes, then environmental compatibility is improved, but stability and effectiveness deteriorate due to high volatility and instability in the presence of oxygen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental compatibilityVSAvoidstability and effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The botanical oil is encapsulated within a biopolymer matrix, creating a nested structure where the active ingredient is protected inside a stabilizing shell. This nesting approach prevents direct exposure to oxygen while maintaining environmental compatibility of the botanical oil.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite material system combining biopolymer and botanical oil in an oil-in-water emulsion. The biopolymer component provides stability and reduces volatility, while the botanical oil maintains environmental compatibility and antimicrobial effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Duration of action of moving object

If larger amounts of essential oils are used to prolong antimicrobial activity, then duration of action is improved, but harmful effects worsen due to damage to food products

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveantimicrobial activity durationVSAvoiddamage to food products

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The biopolymer is applied preliminarily to encapsulate and protect the botanical oil, creating a controlled release system. This preliminary encapsulation allows the antimicrobial activity to be prolonged without requiring high concentrations that would damage food products.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the concentration parameter by using highly effective encapsulated botanical oil at low concentrations (0.01-10% in the emulsion), rather than requiring high concentrations of unencapsulated essential oils. This parameter change achieves prolonged duration without harmful effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If high concentrations of essential oils are used to ensure effectiveness, then antimicrobial activity is improved, but environmental compatibility worsens due to potential damage and instability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveantimicrobial effectivenessVSAvoidenvironmental compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The biopolymer acts as an intermediary between the botanical oil and the environment (oxygen, food surfaces). It mediates the interaction by protecting the oil from degradation while controlling its release, ensuring both effectiveness and environmental compatibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The emulsion provides sustained antimicrobial activity while ensuring environmental compatibility and safety for use on food surfaces, maintaining stability and effectiveness over time without causing damage.

Implementation Method 1

The biopolymer at least partially encapsulates the botanical oil

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEncapsulation: Physical Containment

Implementation Method 2

a water-dispersible biopolymer... an oil-in-water emulsion having an oil phase and an aqueous phase

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEmulsion: Emulsion

Data Source

PatentUS9149045B2Wipe coated with a botanical emulsion having antimicrobial properties

Publication Date: 2015.10.06 KIMBERLY CLARK WORLDWIDE INC

AI summary

An oil-in-water emulsion that is environmentally friendly and also exhibits antimicrobial activity is provided. More specifically, the oil phase of the emulsion includes a botanical oil derived from a plant (e.g., thymol, carvacrol, etc.). Because the botanical oil tends to leach out of the emulsion during storage and before it is used in the desired application, a water-dispersible polymer is also employed in the aqueous phase of the emulsion to enhance long term stability of the oil and, in turn, antimicrobial efficacy. Without intending to be limited by theory, it is believed that the water-dispersible polymer can effectively encapsulate the botanical oil within the emulsion and inhibit its premature release. Once the emulsion is formed, water can then be removed so that it becomes a substantially anhydrous concentrate. In this manner, the water-dispersible polymer will not generally disperse before use and prematurely release the botanical oil. When it is desired, moisture may simply be re-applied to the concentrate to disperse the polymer and activate the release of the botanical oil. Of course, to provide the optimum degree of biocompatibility, the water-dispersible polymer is also a “biopolymer” that is biodegradable and/or renewable.