Melamine Microcapsule for Fragrance Retention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing microcapsules for volatile substances like fragrances face challenges in retaining the aroma over time due to high volatility and the use of irritating materials like isocyanates, which also result in a high proportion of polyurethane resin in the encapsulated material, affecting the effectiveness and odor of consumer products.

Innovation Solution

A microcapsule design using a melamine resin membrane to encapsulate a homogeneous mixture of a volatile substance and an additive with a higher melting point, allowing for mutual dissolution and a semisolid state between 0°C to 60°C, which suppresses volatility and enhances stability and release of the fragrance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a polyfunctional isocyanate and a polyol are reacted to produce a gel-like polyurethane resin for encapsulating volatile substance, then the volatile substance release is suppressed, but an irritating odor is produced that detracts from the fragrance aroma

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevolatile substance retentionVSAvoidirritating odor

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the harmful isocyanate component from the encapsulation system and replaces it with a melamine-based resin system. This extraction of the harmful substance while maintaining the encapsulation function directly resolves the contradiction between volatile substance retention and irritating odor production.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the originally harmful isocyanate reaction system into a beneficial melamine formaldehyde resin system that not only eliminates the irritating odor but also provides effective encapsulation. The melamine resin system achieves the same volatile substance retention function without the harmful side effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Reliability

If a gel-like polyurethane resin is used to encapsulate volatile substance, then the volatile substance release is suppressed, but the proportion of polyurethane resin in the encapsulated material is quite high relative to the quantity of target volatile substance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevolatile substance retentionVSAvoidproportion of encapsulating resin

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the encapsulation system from polyurethane resin to melamine formaldehyde resin. This parameter change allows for a different resin-to-volatile substance ratio, reducing the excessive proportion of encapsulating resin while maintaining effective volatile substance retention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Duration of action of stationary object

If volatile substance is sealed within microcapsule, then aroma is retained, but fragrance still escapes through gaps within microcapsule cell wall during long term storage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvearoma retention periodVSAvoidaroma containment

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses melamine formaldehyde resin, a composite material system, to create a more effective capsule wall structure. This composite material provides better sealing properties that prevent fragrance escape through gaps during long-term storage, while maintaining aroma retention over extended periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 microcapsule effectively retains the volatile substance for an extended period, maintaining fragrance stability and aroma, while reducing the need for costly volatile substances and minimizing the use of irritating materials, thus improving storage and usage conditions.

Implementation Method 1

the microcapsule encapsulates a homogeneous mixture comprising a volatile substance and an additive mutually dissolved within the volatile substance

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMutual dissolution: Solvation

Implementation Method 2

the homogenous mixture has a melting point range such that at least a portion of the melting point range falls within a range from 0°C to 60°C, such that the homogenous mixture is in a semisolid state between 0°C to 60°C

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhase change: Phase Change

Implementation Method 3

the microcapsule comprises melamine resin as membrane material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical containment: Physical Containment

Data Source

PatentEP1948775B1Microcapsule and method of producing same

Publication Date: 2017.01.11 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO

AI summary

A microcapsule which is able to stably retain a benefit agent such as a volatile substance for an extended period, and which is also suitable for encapsulating fragrances and the like. Such capsule encapsulates a mixture comprising a volatile substance, and an additive that has a higher melting point than the volatile substance and is able to undergo mutual dissolution with the volatile substance, wherein the mixture exhibits a melting point range, and a portion of, or all of, that melting point range falls within a range from - 20 to 60°C. The present invention also relates to consumer products including cleaning and/or treatment compositions comprising such microcapsules, and processes of making and using same.