Plastic-Free Wet Wipe Composition With Hydroentangled Wet Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wet wipes made from natural fibers lack the necessary wet strength and bulk required for effective hygiene and cleaning applications, and the use of plastic fibers to achieve these properties is undesirable due to environmental concerns.
Innovation Solution
A wet wipe composition comprising a blend of wood pulp fluff fiber, fine denier lyocell or viscose, and shaped cellulosic bulking fibers, bonded using entangling water jets, without the use of plastic or chemical binders, to achieve high wet strength and bulk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If plastic-based fibers are used to achieve wet strength and bulk, then functional effectiveness is improved, but environmental harm increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters by substituting plastic fibers with natural cellulosic fibers (wood pulp, lyocell, viscose) and modifies the bonding mechanism from chemical/thermal to mechanical (hydroentangling). This achieves wet strength of at least 200 grams per linear inch without plastic content, resolving the contradiction between functional effectiveness and environmental harm.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure using multiple natural fiber types (wood pulp fluff fiber 50-80%, fine denier lyocell or viscose 10-30%, shaped cellulosic bulking fibers 3-15%) bonded through hydroentangling. This composite approach achieves both bulk (0.4-1.5mm thickness) and wet strength without plastic, eliminating plastic pollution while maintaining functional performance.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If natural fibers are used without plastic, then environmental harm is reduced, but wet strength and bulk deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses hydroentangling (water jet entangling) as the bonding mechanism instead of chemical or thermal methods. High-pressure water jets mechanically entangle the natural fibers, achieving wet strength of at least 200 grams per linear inch while maintaining 100% natural fiber content, thus improving wet strength without compromising environmental benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines three types of natural fibers in specific proportions: wood pulp fluff fiber (50-80% for bulk), fine denier lyocell or viscose (10-30% for strength), and shaped cellulosic bulking fibers (3-15% for resilience). This composite structure achieves both wet strength and bulk (0.4-1.5mm thickness) while remaining plastic-free.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If natural binders like starch or CMC are used, then plastic is eliminated, but the structure becomes dense and flat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent completely removes chemical binders (starch, CMC, sugar-based chemistries) from the formulation and replaces them with mechanical hydroentangling. This extraction of chemical binders prevents the dense, flat structure while maintaining 100% natural fiber content, achieving both plastic elimination and proper bulk formation.
Solution Approach 2:
By using hydroentangling with high-pressure water jets instead of chemical binders, the patent maintains fiber loft and creates a three-dimensional bulky structure (0.4-1.5mm thickness). The mechanical entanglement process preserves fiber spacing and resilience, preventing the dense, flat structure associated with chemical binder systems.
4Length of stationary object
If thermoplastic fibers are used to create bulky structure, then thickness is improved, but plastic content increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the bonding parameter from thermal (thermoplastic) to mechanical (hydroentangling). High-pressure water jets entangle the natural fibers to create a bulky three-dimensional structure with thickness of 0.4-1.5mm, achieving the desired thickness without any thermoplastic fiber content.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite of natural fibers including shaped cellulosic bulking fibers (trilobal or flat cross-section) that provide inherent bulk and resilience. Combined with wood pulp fluff and fine denier lyocell/viscose, and bonded through hydroentangling, this achieves thickness of 0.4-1.5mm without thermoplastic content, eliminating plastic while maintaining bulky structure.
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 provides wet wipes with a wet strength of at least 200 grams per linear inch and a thickness of 0.4 to 1.5 millimeters, maintaining bulk and resilience, and is stable in acidic and basic lotion environments.
Implementation Method 1
The wet wipe is bonded with entangling water jets such that the wet wipe has a wet strength of at least 200 grams per linear inch in the cross direction
Data Source
AI summary
A wet wipe includes a sheet formed from materials without plastics and without chemical or thermoplastic binders. The sheet has a weight of between 40-90 grams per square meter. The sheet has a blend of wood pulp fluff fiber between 50% - 80% by weight, fine denier lyocell or viscose of fiber length 5 to 12 millimeters between 10% - 30% by weight, and crosslinked curly pulp fibers between 3% - 15% by weight. The wet wipe is bonded with entangling water jets such that the wet wipe has a wet strength of at least 200 grams per linear inch in the cross direction, and a wet thickness between 0.4 and 1.5 millimeters.