Particulate Fabric Softener Surface Hardness via Rapid Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dryer-added fabric softening articles often stain dark fabrics due to insufficient initial surface hardness, which is not effectively addressed by previous methods, including the use of quaternary ammonium salt fabric softeners and high melting carriers like ethylenediamine fatty acid diamides.
Innovation Solution
A particulate fabric softening composition is created by rapidly cooling a molten mixture of ethylenediamine fatty acid diamides and quaternary ammonium salt fabric softeners to a temperature of 40° C. or less at a high cooling rate, resulting in a solid composition with an exothermal transition between 60 and 90° C. and increased surface hardness when heated to effect this transition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a quaternary ammonium salt fabric softener and high melting carrier are mixed and solidified by injection molding or casting, then the fabric softening article can be manufactured, but the initial surface hardness is insufficient causing staining of dark fabrics
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the thermal processing parameters by implementing a two-stage temperature control: first heating to 90-150°C to melt the composition and enable press shaping, then cooling at a controlled rate to establish the exothermal transition at 60-90°C. This parameter optimization creates the desired surface hardness while preventing fabric staining.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes phase transitions of the fabric softening composition by heating it to undergo an exothermal transition at 60-90°C during press shaping. This phase change enables the material to achieve high surface hardness in its transition state, allowing effective press shaping while maintaining the hardness needed to prevent fabric staining.
2Strength
If the molten mixture is cooled slowly to room temperature, then the composition solidifies, but the surface hardness remains insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by heating the composition to 90-150°C before press shaping to ensure complete melting and homogeneous mixing of all components. This preliminary heating step guarantees that the composition is in the optimal state for shaping, leading to consistent surface hardness and reliable performance across all articles.
3Strength
If the composition is press shaped at room temperature, then the shaping process can be performed, but the surface hardness is too low to prevent staining
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter during manufacturing by heating the composition to 90-150°C during press shaping. This temporary parameter change makes the material more pliable and easier to shape while ensuring that the subsequent cooling establishes the exothermal transition at 60-90°C, resulting in high surface hardness in the final product.
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 composition achieves high initial surface hardness for dryer-added fabric softening articles, reducing fabric staining and improving performance compared to traditional methods, as demonstrated by differential scanning calorimetry and surface hardness testing.
Implementation Method 1
cooling a molten mixture comprising one or more ethylenediamine fatty acid diamides and one or more quaternary ammonium salt fabric softeners to a temperature of 40° C. or less at a high cooling rate
Implementation Method 2
resulting in a solid composition with an exothermal transition between 60 and 90° C. and increased surface hardness when heated to effect this transition
Data Source
AI summary
A particulate fabric softening composition, comprising one or more ethylenediamine fatty acid diamides and one or more quaternary ammonium salt fabric softeners, the composition having an exothermal transition at a temperature between 60 and 90° C. with an exothermal transition enthalpy of more than 5 J/g measured by DSC with a heating rate of 2° C./min, can be press shaped to multiple use, dryer added fabric softening articles having high initial surface hardness.The fabric softening composition can be made by cooling a molten mixture comprising one or more ethylenediamine fatty acid diamides and one or more quaternary ammonium salt fabric softeners to a temperature of 40° C. or less at a high cooling rate.