Solid Fibrous Shampoo Composition for Stable High-Surfactant Spinning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing solid fibrous personal care products, such as shampoos, face challenges in maintaining phase stability and rheology at high surfactant levels and temperatures, leading to inefficient production and unsatisfactory user experience due to sticky or gooey texture upon rehydration.
Innovation Solution
A dissolvable solid fibrous shampoo article comprising specific ratios of polymeric structurants, anionic surfactants, and pH adjusters like lactic acid, along with additives like citric acid or sodium xylene sulfonate coatings, to maintain phase stability and reduce stickiness, ensuring a smooth, creamy texture upon hydration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the level of surfactant in the melt is increased from 30-35% to at least 40%, then the efficiency of manufacturing fibrous articles is improved by decreasing the amount of liquid solvent that needs to be removed, but phase separation and breakdown of rheology and elastic modulus occur, making it difficult to spin fibers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the surfactant system by eliminating sulfate-based surfactants and using alternative surfactants in specific combinations with polymeric structurants. This parameter change allows the system to maintain phase stability at higher surfactant levels (≥40%) while improving manufacturing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite surfactant system combining multiple non-sulfate surfactants with polymeric structurants in specific ratios. This composite approach maintains rheological properties and phase stability at high surfactant concentrations, enabling both improved productivity and composition stability.
2Productivity
If the melt temperature during spinning is raised from 25°C to greater than 35°C, then efficiency is improved by aiding evaporation of liquid solvent, but phase separation and breakdown of rheology and elastic modulus occur, making it difficult to spin fibers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermal and compositional parameters by formulating a melt system that maintains stable rheology and phase structure at elevated temperatures (>35°C). The specific surfactant and polymeric structurant combinations are selected to withstand higher processing temperatures without phase separation, enabling improved evaporation efficiency while maintaining spinability.
3Ease of manufacture
If the melt composition is made viscous and elastic to spin consumer acceptable fibrous elements, then the ability to form fibers is improved, but the dissolved article returns to a melt-like gel that feels sticky, stringy, and gooey in a user's hands
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by selecting specific polymeric structurants and surfactant combinations that provide adequate viscosity and elasticity for fiber spinning, but dissolve to form smooth, non-sticky compositions. The key is selecting polymers and surfactants with appropriate molecular weights and hydrophilic-lipophilic balances that enable both processing and pleasant end-use feel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different functional requirements to different stages of the product lifecycle: the melt composition is formulated with specific viscosity and elasticity properties for the manufacturing stage (fiber spinning), while the rehydrated composition is formulated to have smooth, creamy properties for the user experience stage. This local quality approach allows optimization for each stage without compromise.
4Reliability
If liquid personal care products are formulated with a substantial amount of liquid such as water (e.g. ~80% or more), preservatives, and stabilizers, then the product performance is maintained, but significant bulk is added that translates to inefficient, costly shipping and storage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase transition by formulating the product as a solid fibrous article that dissolves in water during use. This allows the product to be shipped and stored in a compact solid form (low bulk) while maintaining full liquid product performance when rehydrated. The phase transition from solid to dissolved state enables space-efficient packaging without sacrificing product functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the product into fibrous elements with high surface area to volume ratio, allowing the active ingredients (surfactants and polymeric structurants) to be concentrated in a minimal bulk form. This segmentation enables the product to deliver full performance with significantly reduced quantity of substance compared to traditional liquid formulations.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A dissolvable solid fibrous shampoo article made from a plurality of fibrous elements intertangled or otherwise associated with one another to form the fibrous article. The fibrous elements can contain a polymeric structurant, a surfactant system that is substantially free of sulfate-based surfactants, and a pH adjuster that is a monoprotic organic acid and/or a coating comprising an additive that can be a hydratrope or a diprotic and triprotic organic acid and salts thereof.