Sustained Release Pheromone Membrane Using Aliphatic Polyester Blend
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sustained release pheromone preparations using high density polyethylene (HDPE) are impractical for rope-like forms due to high pheromone substance permeability, requiring increased membrane thickness and polymer amounts, which is not economically viable or labor-efficient for large-scale installation.
Innovation Solution
A polymer blend of aliphatic polyester and poly(hydroxyalkanoate) is used for the pheromone permeable membrane, which reduces pheromone substance permeability without increasing membrane thickness, allowing for a more economical and labor-efficient rope-like sustained release pheromone preparation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If high density polyethylene (HDPE) is used for the membrane, then the membrane has good processability, but the pheromone substance permeability is too high requiring increased membrane thickness and polymer amount
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite membrane structure consisting of an outer layer made of aliphatic polyester and an inner layer made of HDPE. This composite structure combines the low permeability advantage of aliphatic polyester with the good processability of HDPE, allowing the membrane to maintain both manufacturing ease and effective pheromone retention without requiring excessive polymer quantity or thickness.
2Quantity of substance
If aliphatic polyester is used for the membrane, then the pheromone substance permeability is reduced, but the processability is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite membrane with aliphatic polyester as the outer layer and HDPE as the inner layer. The aliphatic polyester outer layer provides the desired low permeability to pheromone substances, while the HDPE inner layer ensures good processability and ease of manufacture. This layered composite structure allows each material to contribute its superior properties without suffering from the other's disadvantages.
3Duration of action of moving object
If membrane thickness is increased to suppress release rate, then the pheromone release is controlled, but the amount of polymer increases proportionally
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite membrane structure where the outer aliphatic polyester layer has inherently low permeability to pheromone substances. This allows the membrane to control and extend pheromone release duration effectively while maintaining a thinner overall structure, thereby avoiding the proportional increase in polymer quantity that would result from simply thickening a high-permeability membrane like conventional HDPE.
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 polymer blend effectively prolongs pheromone release over a predetermined period, reducing the amount of polymer required and simplifying installation, while maintaining effective pheromone diffusion for insect pest control.
Implementation Method 1
a polymer blend of an aliphatic polyester and a poly(hydroxyalkanoate) which effectively prolongs pheromone release over a predetermined period, reducing the amount of polymer required and simplifying installation, while maintaining effective pheromone diffusion for insect pest control
Implementation Method 2
The fact that molecular chains of the aliphatic polyester are firmly held together by electrostatic interaction due to the presence of ester bonds makes it difficult for a pheromone substance to diffuse through the interstices of those polymer segments
Data Source
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AI summary
There are provided a sustained release pheromone preparation capable of prolonged release of a pheromone substance without the need to increase the membrane thickness, and a method for controlling an insect pest using the same. More specifically, there is provided a sustained release pheromone preparation including: at least one pheromone substance and a container for enclosing the pheromone substance therein, the container comprising a polymer membrane which includes a polymer blend of: an aliphatic polyester of general formula (1) below; and a poly(hydroxyalkanoate) of general formula (2) below. There is also provided a method of controlling an insect pest, including a step of installing the sustained release pheromone preparation in a field to allow the pheromone substance to permeate through the polymer membrane and to be released into the field.