Phenolic Microemulsion Disinfectant for Odorless Surface Treatment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current disinfectant formulations for large surfaces often contain irritating and environmentally harmful chemical agents, are not odorless, and struggle with solubility issues due to the hydrophobic nature of essential oils, making them unsuitable for quick, non-irritating, and effective disinfection of areas like airplane cabins.
Innovation Solution
A microemulsion formulation using phenolic compounds like thymol and carvacrol, combined with solubilizers such as polyethylene glycol sorbitan monooleate and monolaurate, which are completely water-soluble and oil-soluble, allowing for high concentration and effective antimicrobial action without surfactants, resulting in a clear, odorless, and stable disinfectant solution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If essential oils are used as disinfectant agents, then antimicrobial effectiveness is improved, but solubility in water deteriorates due to hydrophobic nature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses solubilizers as intermediary substances that bridge the hydrophobic essential oils and hydrophilic water. The solubilizers have both hydrophobic and hydrophilic portions, allowing them to solubilize essential oils in water through micelle formation, thereby resolving the solubility contradiction while maintaining antimicrobial effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the essential oil formulation by adjusting the type and concentration of solubilizers. This parameter change transforms the hydrophobic essential oils into a water-soluble microemulsion system, enabling high concentration antimicrobial action in aqueous solution without compromising stability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If surfactants are added to improve solubility of essential oils, then solubility is improved, but the formulation becomes unstable and essential oils are removed from surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional long-chain surfactants with short-chain solubilizers that form micelles. These solubilizers are completely water-soluble and create thermodynamically stable microemulsions that do not form macrostructures, preventing the formulation from becoming unstable or removing essential oils from surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite microemulsion system combining essential oils, water, and solubilizers in specific proportions. This composite formulation achieves both solubility and stability by leveraging the synergistic interaction between the hydrophobic essential oils and hydrophilic solubilizers, eliminating the need for traditional surfactants.
3Reliability
If chemical disinfectants are used for large surface disinfection, then disinfection effectiveness is improved, but human health and environmental harm worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the naturally occurring antimicrobial properties of essential oils into an effective disinfectant formulation. By using plant-derived essential oils with proven antimicrobial, antiviral, and antifungal activities, the patent replaces harmful synthetic chemicals with beneficial natural substances that maintain disinfection effectiveness while eliminating health and environmental hazards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters from synthetic disinfectants to natural essential oils combined with safe solubilizers. This parameter change maintains the required disinfection effectiveness while fundamentally altering the toxicity profile to be non-irritating and environmentally friendly, suitable for use in enclosed spaces.
4Reliability
If essential oils are used at high concentration for effective antimicrobial action, then antimicrobial effectiveness is improved, but odor increases making it unsuitable for enclosed spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses solubilizers as intermediaries that encapsulate essential oil molecules within micellar structures. This intermediary action allows high concentrations of essential oils to be dissolved in water while the micellar structure masks the strong odors, enabling effective antimicrobial action in enclosed spaces without pungent smells.
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 microemulsion formulation effectively disinfects large surfaces, including those against COVID-19, while being non-irritating and environmentally friendly, maintaining stability across pH, salt, and water adjustments, and is suitable for use in enclosed spaces like airplane cabins.
Implementation Method 1
A microemulsion formulation using phenolic compounds like thymol and carvacrol, combined with solubilizers such as polyethylene glycol sorbitan monooleate and monolaurate
Data Source
AI summary
An aqueous microemulsion containing at least one phenolic compound, specifically thymol and/or carvacerol, a solubilizer and water. This microemulsion can be applied to surfaces to provide disinfectant properties.