Hopper Sodium Fluoride Crystals for Faster Fluoride Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sodium fluoride salt crystals used in oral care products have a slow dissolution rate, leading to inefficiency in fluoride ion release and potential swallowing or expectoration during brushing, which reduces the efficacy of remineralization and antimicrobial effects, and contributes to environmental pollution.
Innovation Solution
The development of high surface area (HSA) sodium fluoride crystals, formed through a method involving dissolving NaF in water, adding it to an antisolvent solution like ethanol and water, and stirring to precipitate hopper crystals, which have a higher surface area to mass ratio, enhancing dissolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional cubic sodium fluoride crystals are used, then the dissolution rate is slow, but the manufacturing process is simple
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the crystallization conditions, specifically using an antisolvent (ethanol) to precipitate sodium fluoride crystals from a saturated aqueous solution. This changes the physical-chemical parameters of the crystallization process, resulting in hopper-shaped crystals with higher surface area to mass ratio and faster dissolution rate compared to conventional cubic crystals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transitions by inducing the precipitation of sodium fluoride from an aqueous solution through the addition of ethanol (antisolvent). This phase transition from dissolved state to crystalline precipitate forms the hopper crystal structure, which inherently possesses higher surface area and faster dissolution characteristics.
2Productivity
If conventional cubic sodium fluoride crystals are used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the fluoride ion release efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the crystallization parameters—specifically using an antisolvent system with ethanol and controlled saturation levels—the patent produces hopper crystals that release fluoride ions more efficiently. The parameter change in crystal morphology directly improves the productivity of fluoride ion release during oral care product application.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If high quantities of fluoride salts are used to compensate for slow dissolution, then the therapeutic effect is maintained, but environmental pollution increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the fluoride salt crystal (from cubic to hopper shape) to improve dissolution rate. This parameter change allows for reduced quantity of fluoride salt usage while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness, thereby reducing environmental pollution from excess fluoride discharge.
4Speed
If high surface area sodium fluoride crystals are produced, then the dissolution rate increases, but the crystal structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent exploits phase transition during antisolvent precipitation to naturally form hopper crystal structures. The phase transition from dissolved to crystalline state under specific conditions (ethanol addition to saturated NaF solution) inherently produces the desired high surface area morphology without requiring complex post-processing or artificial structuring.
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
HSA crystals dissolve faster than conventional cubic crystals, allowing for equivalent therapeutic fluoride release in shorter times, reducing the amount needed and minimizing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
dissolving a portion of NaF in water to form an NaF solution
Implementation Method 2
adding the NaF solution into the antisolvent solution to precipitate NaF crystals out of the NaF solution
Data Source
AI summary
A sodium fluoride hopper crystal formed by a method of manufacture comprising: dissolving a portion of NaF in water to form an NaF solution; forming an antisolvent solution; and adding the NaF solution into the antisolvent solution to precipitate NaF crystals out of the solution.