Hydrogel Buffer Material for Fresh Food Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing buffer packaging materials have low water content, rough surfaces, inadequate thermal insulation, and inflexibility, leading to damage and spoilage of fresh food during transportation, especially in high-humidity environments and requiring additional cold chain assistance, which increases costs and resource waste.
Innovation Solution
A porous wet natural foaming gel soft material is developed using a soybean protein isolate-sodium alginate compound, with a preparation method involving NH3 plasma treatment and ultrasonic homogenization, combined with calcium ion releasing agents, polyols, and bacteriostatic agents, to create a hydrogel with high water content, flexibility, and thermal insulation properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If existing buffer packaging materials are used, then they provide basic cushioning, but they have low water content and poor water-holding capacity, making it difficult to maintain high-humidity environment required for fresh food transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the water content parameter from less than 20% in conventional materials to more than 90% in the hydrogel material. This is achieved by using a water-based hydrogel system with crosslinked polymer networks that trap and retain water molecules, transforming the material from hydrophobic to hydrophilic and enabling it to maintain high-humidity environments for fresh food transportation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite hydrogel material combining multiple components including crosslinking agents, polymers, and water to achieve both high water content and superior water-holding capacity. The composite structure allows the material to simultaneously provide cushioning, thermal insulation, and humidity maintenance functions
2Strength
If existing buffer packaging materials with rough surfaces are used, then they provide structural support, but they cause surface damage to fresh food with delicate tissues due to friction during transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible hydrogel material that can conform to the contours of fresh food items. The gel's soft, adaptable structure provides structural support while eliminating rough surfaces that cause friction damage, allowing it to wrap around delicate tissues like strawberry cuticles and fish sebum without causing mechanical injury
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface texture parameter from rough to smooth by using a gel-based material system. This transformation maintains the necessary mechanical support properties while eliminating the harmful friction effects that damage fresh food surfaces during transportation
3Strength
If existing buffer packaging materials are used, then they provide cushioning, but they cannot provide adequate thermal insulation, requiring additional cold chain assistance which increases cost and resource waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a multi-functional hydrogel material that simultaneously provides cushioning, thermal insulation, and humidity maintenance. This single material replaces the need for separate buffer materials and cold chain assistance, reducing overall system complexity and cost while maintaining fresh food quality during transportation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent develops a composite hydrogel system that integrates multiple functional properties including mechanical cushioning and thermal insulation. The crosslinked polymer network structure provides both buffer performance and heat resistance, eliminating the need for additional insulation layers or cold chain infrastructure
4Ease of manufacture
If existing buffer packaging materials are prepared and molded in advance with fixed sizes, then they are easy to manufacture, but they cannot adapt to individual size differences of fresh food, resulting in gaps that cause mechanical collision during transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from static, pre-molded packaging materials to a dynamic hydrogel system that can change shape and volume. The gel material remains in a liquid or semi-liquid state during application, allowing it to flow and conform to any food shape, then maintains its form during transportation, providing perfect adaptation without gaps or collisions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the packaging material from fixed solid form to flexible gel form. This allows the material to adapt its shape and volume parameters to match the food being packaged, eliminating gaps while maintaining ease of application through simple pouring or injection methods
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 material maintains a high water content, reduces surface damage and spoilage by 33-60%, provides excellent thermal insulation, and adapts to food shapes, effectively maintaining a stable temperature and humidity environment during transportation.
Implementation Method 1
deacetylated crab shell powder as a crosslinking agent, and gluconolactone as a calcium ion releasing agent in the crab shell powder to promote the crosslinking of a sodium alginate gel
Implementation Method 2
a nano-compound is formed by ultrasonic treatment and an emulsion freeze-thaw method, which improves a foaming performance of the compound
Implementation Method 3
a nano-compound is formed by ultrasonic treatment and an emulsion freeze-thaw method, which improves a foaming performance of the compound
Implementation Method 4
the material has a water content of more than 90%, so that the material can be used for transportation of fishes
Implementation Method 5
the above ingredients are foamed to obtain a hydrogel buffer material
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a porous wet natural foaming gel soft material, comprising the following raw materials in parts by weight: 1 part to 5 parts of foaming agent; 0.1 part to 1 part of calcium ion releasing agent; 0.2 part to 2 parts of gelling agent; 0.5 part to 1 part of polyol; 0.001 part to 1 part of bacteriostatic agent; and the balance of deionized water supplemented to 100 parts, and the above ingredients are foamed to obtain a hydrogel buffer material, which is the porous wet natural foaming gel soft material. The material has a water content of more than 90%, which can effectively maintain a high wet state of fresh food in transportation. The material is flexible, which reduces a damage caused by friction and collision between a packaging material and a surface of the fresh food during vibration.