Colored Hydrogel Materials via Aqueous Colorant Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing colored hydrogel materials often result in thermal instability of colorants, leading to degradation, and require higher dye concentrations, which increases consumer ingestion and involves the use of volatile organic solvents.
Innovation Solution
A method involving partial hydration of hydrogel matrices with an aqueous colorant composition, allowing absorption without heat treatment, using less than 25% aqueous miscible co-solvent, and optionally drying to retain the colorant, thereby maintaining the integrity of the hydrogel and its active ingredients.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If heat treatment is used to effect gelation, then the hydrogel matrix is formed, but thermally unstable colorants degrade
Solution Approach 1:
The colorant is incorporated into the hydrogel matrix during the gelation process before heat treatment, allowing the colorant to be protected within the forming matrix. This preliminary incorporation prevents subsequent thermal degradation by embedding the colorant in a protective environment during the critical heating phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the gelation process by using lower temperatures and alternative gelation mechanisms (such as chemical crosslinking or enzymatic gelation) instead of high-temperature heat treatment. This parameter change allows colorants with lower thermal stability to be incorporated without degradation while still achieving effective gelation.
2Illumination intensity
If colorant is homogenously dispersed throughout the hydrogel matrix, then the desired color appearance is achieved, but larger amount of dye is necessary
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates non-uniform color distribution within the hydrogel matrix, concentrating colorant in specific regions or layers rather than homogeneous dispersion. This local concentration approach achieves the desired color appearance with less total dye, as the color is intensified in key visual areas rather than diluted throughout the entire matrix.
3Quantity of substance
If surface dyeing methods are used, then the amount of dye consumed is reduced, but specially designed equipment and volatile organic solvents are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for volatile organic solvents and specially designed surface dyeing equipment by incorporating colorants directly into the hydrogel matrix during formation. This extraction of harmful elements and complex equipment requirements simplifies the process while maintaining reduced dye consumption benefits through efficient incorporation methods.
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
This method effectively imparts desired color to hydrogel materials without degrading the hydrogel or active ingredients, reducing dye consumption, and eliminating the need for volatile solvents, while maintaining the physical integrity of the hydrogel-based materials.
Implementation Method 1
mixing the plurality of hydrogel-based materials for a sufficient duration of time to allow substantially all of the aqueous colorant composition to be absorbed into the hydrogel matrix
Implementation Method 2
a desired color appearance parameter can be imparted to a hydrogel matrix by effecting a partial hydration of the hydrogel matrix with an aqueous colorant composition
Implementation Method 3
the colorant becomes fixed within the hydrogel matrix upon effecting gelation
Implementation Method 4
drying the colored hydrogel-based materials at a temperature sufficient to remove at least a portion of the water absorbed into the hydrogel matrix thereby leaving the colorant material therein
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a method for making colored hydrogel-based materials, and products relating thereto. The method includes applying an aqueous colorant composition comprising water and a colorant material to an external surface of a plurality of hydrogel-based materials. The aqueous colorant composition comprises less than 25% (v/v) of an aqueous miscible co-solvent. The hydrogel-based materials comprise a hydrogel matrix encapsulating an active ingredient composition, such as a flavor or fragrance composition. The aqueous colorant composition and the hydrogel-based materials are mixed for a sufficient duration of time to allow substantially all of the aqueous colorant composition to be absorbed into the hydrogel matrix. Optionally, the colored hydrogel-based materials may be dried to remove at least a portion of the water absorbed into the hydrogel matrix thereby leaving the colorant material therein. The resulting colored hydrogel based materials are suitable for use in foodstuffs, such as confectionaries.