Dissolvable Solid Conditioning Matrix for Hydrophobic Agent Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumer product compositions containing hydrophobic conditioning agents face challenges in maintaining stable, large particle sizes to effectively deposit and retain these agents on treated surfaces, leading to wastage due to their small particle size and instability in aqueous treatment liquors.
Innovation Solution
A non-porous dissolvable solid structure with a carrier material that maintains hydrophobic conditioning agents at a desired mean particle size of 2 µm to 120 µm, which dissolves in an aqueous solution to form an aqueous treatment liquor, ensuring effective deposition and retention of the agents on treated surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If hydrophobic conditioning agents are incorporated in aqueous liquid compositions as emulsions with small particle size, then the formulation stability is improved, but the deposition and retention on treated surfaces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the particle size parameter of the hydrophobic conditioning agent from sub-micron (in emulsions) to larger particles (2 μm to 2,000 μm). This parameter change allows the conditioning agent to be incorporated into a solid dissolvable structure rather than requiring an emulsion system, thereby improving deposition and retention on treated surfaces while maintaining formulation stability through the solid matrix.
2Reliability
If encapsulation systems are used for hydrophobic conditioning agents, then the deposition and retention on surfaces is enhanced, but the effectiveness of the conditioning agents is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the hydrophobic conditioning agent from encapsulation systems and incorporates it directly into a solid dissolvable structure. This eliminates the encapsulation barrier that limits conditioning agent effectiveness, allowing the agent to be released in its active form while still achieving enhanced deposition and retention through the larger particle size and solid structure.
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 solution maintains the large particle size of hydrophobic conditioning agents during storage and use, enhancing deposition and retention on treated surfaces, thereby providing improved consumer benefits such as softness and silky feel.
Implementation Method 1
a non- porous dissolvable solid structure comprising a carrier material, and a hydrophobic conditioning agent disposed within the carrier material
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A consumer product composition comprises a non-porous dissolvable solid structure comprising a carrier material and a hydrophobic conditioning agent disposed within the carrier material, wherein the hydrophobic conditioning agent has a mean particle size of from about 2 µm to about 2000 µm. Preferred products are shampoos, hair conditioners, laundry detergents and fabric softeners. Preferably the carrier material comprises a polyethylene glycol and the conditioning agent comprises a silicone or polyisobutene. A method of treating a surface comprises dissolving the consumer product composition in an aqueous solution to form an aqueous treatment liquor and contacting the surface with the liquor.