Water-Soluble Detergent Substrate Dissolution and Flexibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing detergent products are stiff, deliver low levels of detergent composition, and often leave remnants due to non-dissolvable polyester substrates, resulting in suboptimal cleaning performance.
Innovation Solution
Development of detergent products with a basis weight of less than 500 g/m² and thickness of less than 50 mils, featuring a Geometric Mean Modulus of less than 20,000 g/cm² and high Peak Elongation, which are made from nonwoven webs with filaments that release active agents when exposed to conditions of intended use, ensuring effective cleaning without residue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a polyester nonwoven substrate is used to make detergent products, then the product structure is stable and easy to manufacture, but the substrate does not dissolve during washing leaving remnants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the nonwoven substrate by using water-soluble polymers (such as polyvinyl alcohol, starch, or cellulose derivatives) instead of traditional polyester fibers. This parameter change enables the substrate to dissolve in water during washing, eliminating residue while maintaining structural integrity during storage and handling through controlled solubility characteristics.
2Ease of operation
If the detergent product basis weight is reduced to improve flexibility, then the product becomes more flexible and easier to apply, but the level of detergent composition delivered is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the detergent composition with the nonwoven substrate itself by impregnating or coating the water-soluble fibers with active detergent ingredients. This integration ensures that the detergent composition is uniformly distributed throughout the substrate structure, so that even at lower basis weights, the product delivers adequate detergent levels as the entire substrate dissolves and releases the embedded active agents during washing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system combining water-soluble polymer fibers with detergent active ingredients, builders, and other functional components. This composite structure allows the substrate to maintain flexibility at reduced weights while concentrating detergent composition within the fiber matrix, ensuring sufficient cleaning performance is achieved as the composite dissolves and releases its contents.
3Ease of operation
If the detergent product thickness is reduced to improve flexibility, then the product becomes more flexible, but the cleaning performance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thickness parameter of the detergent product while compensating for cleaning performance through increased concentration of active ingredients in the impregnated composition. The thinner substrate provides enhanced flexibility and conformability, while the optimized formulation of detergent actives, enzymes, and builders within the reduced-thickness matrix ensures adequate cleaning performance is maintained during the washing process.
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 new detergent products provide improved flexibility, enhanced cleaning performance, and complete dissolution during washing, eliminating residue issues and meeting consumer demands for better cleaning efficacy.
Implementation Method 1
the filaments comprise water-soluble polymers and the total level of the water-soluble polymers present in the filament is less than 80% by weight on a dry filament basis and/or dry detergent product basis and the total level of the one or more active agents present in the filament is greater than 20% by weight on a dry filament basis and/or dry detergent product basis
Data Source
AI summary
A detergent product containing a detergent composition is provided.