Flushable hydroentangled moist wipe or hygiene tissue
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pre-moistened wipes and hygiene tissues face challenges in maintaining structural integrity for their intended use while being readily disintegratable when flushed in sewers to prevent pipe blockages.
Innovation Solution
A hydroentangled nonwoven material impregnated with a wetting composition, comprising cellulose pulp fibers and/or manmade staple fibers, with disintegration elements having a specific projected surface area and aspect ratio, which weaken the material to facilitate disintegration in water under mild agitation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If wet strength agent is added to provide structural integrity for wiping function, then wet strength is improved, but disintegrability in sewer is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The wipe is segmented into two functional components: a strong nonwoven substrate for wiping and discrete disintegration elements (0.5-2.5 wt%) that act as weak points. These elements have specific projected surface areas (2-50 mm²) and aspect ratios (1:7) that enable them to fail first under mild agitation in sewer conditions, allowing the rest of the wipe to maintain its structural integrity for its intended wiping function.
Solution Approach 2:
The disintegration elements are distributed locally throughout the nonwoven material at specific concentrations (0.5-2.5 wt%). These localized weak points have different physical properties (surface area, aspect ratio) than the surrounding material, creating zones of controlled weakness that facilitate selective disintegration without compromising the overall wet strength needed for wiping.
2Ease of operation
If small size is used to enable flushing, then ease of flushing is improved, but dispersibility is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The wipe exhibits dynamic behavior that changes with environmental conditions: it maintains a stable, intact structure during use (static phase) but transitions to disintegration when exposed to mild agitation in sewer conditions (dynamic phase). The disintegration elements are designed to trigger this transition, allowing the wipe to adapt its structural properties based on the operational context.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If disintegratable materials are used for flushability, then disintegrability is improved, but wet strength is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The wipe is a composite material system combining a strong nonwoven substrate (providing wet strength for wiping) with disintegration elements (enabling sewer disintegration). This composite structure allows each component to fulfill its specific function: the nonwoven material maintains structural integrity during use while the disintegration elements facilitate breakdown in sewer conditions, achieving both strength and disintegrability simultaneously.
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 ensures the wipes maintain sufficient wet strength for use but disintegrate in sewers, preventing pipe blockages and maintaining effective wiping functionality.
Implementation Method 1
hydroentangled nonwoven material impregnated with a wetting composition
Implementation Method 2
hydroentangled nonwoven material
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2h
AI summary
The invention refers to a flushable wipe or hygiene tissue comprising a hydraulically entangled nonwoven material impregnated with a wetting composition, wherein the nonwoven material comprising cellulose pulp fibers and/or manmade staple fibers. The nonwoven material (1) comprises disintegration elements (2) having a projected surface area between 2 and 50 mm2 and an aspect ratio (L/D) between 1 and 10. The disintegration elements may be selected from the following group: botanical elements, paper containing a wet-strength agent, nonwoven material, film material, and will result in a material that is more readily disintegratable when flushed in a sewer.