Keratin Compositions
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current pigments, both natural and synthetic, pose toxicity challenges and limitations in color fastness and particle size, restricting their use in food and cosmetic applications, necessitating a safe and effective pigment material.
Innovation Solution
Development of dyed keratin particles with specific properties, such as small diameter and high regain, produced through processing keratin-containing animal fibers into fine powders and then dyeing them, which are used in various compositions like paints, inks, and cosmetics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If synthetic pigments are used to achieve vibrant color and durability, then color fastness and particle size control are improved, but toxicity and safety concerns worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by using keratin protein as the base material instead of synthetic pigments, and controls particle size parameters through mechanical processing to achieve both color fastness and safety requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite pigment material by combining keratin protein with dye molecules, forming a new composite pigment that exhibits both the safety of natural materials and the color fastness of synthetic dyes
2Object-affected harmful factors
If natural pigments are used to ensure safety and non-toxicity, then toxicity concerns are reduced, but color fastness and particle size control worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent improves upon natural pigments by chemically treating the keratin with dyes to enhance color fastness, while maintaining the safe and non-toxic properties of the natural protein base
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary mechanical processing (chopping, wet milling, spray drying, air jet milling) on the keratin material before dyeing to achieve the required particle size distribution, ensuring both safety and subsequent color fastness
3Object-affected harmful factors
If particle size is reduced to less than 10 microns for skin contact applications, then safety and skin compatibility are improved, but manufacturing complexity and processing difficulty worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the keratin material through multiple progressive size-reduction steps (chopping to 5mm, wet milling, spray drying, air jet milling) to achieve the required sub-10-micron particle size for skin contact safety
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses water as an intermediary medium during wet milling and spray drying processes to facilitate particle size reduction while maintaining keratin integrity and enabling subsequent dyeing
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 keratin pigment material provides a non-toxic, colorfast, and safe alternative for applications where skin contact is necessary, enhancing sensory characteristics, flame retardancy, and skin conditioning while offering environmental benefits by replacing synthetic pigments.
Implementation Method 1
wet milling the chopped snippets to form a slurry
Implementation Method 2
spray drying the slurry produced in step (b) to form a powder
Implementation Method 3
air jet milling the powder produced in step (c)
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to compositions comprising a keratin pigment material. The keratin pigment material comprises dyed keratin particles. Compositions comprising keratin pigment material such as inks, paints and cosmetic formulations have advantageous properties compared to similar compositions in which conventional pigment materials are used as colourants.