Laundry Particles with Gas Occlusions and Surfactants
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laundry particles, such as pastilles, face challenges in achieving a lighter density while effectively delivering perfume and maintaining gas occlusions, which affects their stability and performance.
Innovation Solution
A laundry composition comprising 30 to 95% polyethylene glycol with a combination of anionic and nonionic surfactants, along with occlusions of gas and saccharides, is developed to stabilize gas bubbles and reduce particle density, allowing for improved mechanical strength and solubility, and the method involves melting polyethylene glycol with surfactants and forming particles that include gas occlusions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If polyethylene glycol particles are used as laundry adjunct composition, then perfume delivery is achieved, but particle density is too high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the particle composition by incorporating surfactants (anionic, nonionic, or zwitterionic) at specific concentrations (0.1-10% by weight) and gas occlusions (10-90% by volume), which modifies the particle density from conventional high density to the improved range of 0.5-1.5 g/cm³ while maintaining structural integrity and gas occlusion stability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite particle structure combining polyethylene glycol (30-95% by weight), surfactants (0.1-10% by weight), and occluded gas (10-90% by volume), where each component contributes specific properties: PEG provides solubility and perfume delivery, surfactants stabilize gas occlusions and reduce density, and gas occlusions provide lightweighting and potential effervescent functionality
2Weight of moving object
If particle density is reduced, then lighter particles are achieved, but gas occlusions become unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces surfactants as intermediary substances that mediate between the polyethylene glycol matrix and the occluded gas, reducing surface tension and stabilizing the gas-liquid interface. This intermediary layer prevents gas bubble coalescence and escape, maintaining composition stability even at reduced particle densities of 0.5-1.5 g/cm³
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the concentration parameters of surfactants (0.1-10% by weight) and gas occlusions (10-90% by volume) to achieve a critical balance where sufficient gas content provides lightweighting while adequate surfactant concentration maintains gas occlusion stability, resulting in particles with density 0.5-1.5 g/cm³ that are both light and stable
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 results in lighter, more stable particles with enhanced solubility and mechanical strength, effectively delivering perfume and other laundry benefits to fabrics during the washing process.
Implementation Method 1
by including certain surfactant into the particle containing polyethylene glycol, the occlusions of gas may be stabilized in the particles
Implementation Method 2
polyethylene glycol is melted and mixed with surfactant, gas is introduced, and the melted mixture is then formed into particles
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a laundry composition comprising a plurality of particles, wherein the particle comprises 30 to 95% of polyethylene glycol by weight of the particle, surfactant selected from anionic surfactant, nonionic surfactant, or a combination thereof, and occlusions of gas and wherein the surfactant is anionic surfactant.