Polyalkenamer Packaging Process via Multi-Stage CO2 Extraction

Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for producing polyalkenamer-containing compositions using supercritical carbon dioxide extraction result in sintering or compression of the material, leading to reduced permeability and altered material consistency, which limits their application in packaging due to elevated odour activity and difficulty in maintaining the original form of the product.

Innovation Solution

A five-stage CO2 extraction process involving consecutive stages of liquid CO2, supercritical CO2, gaseous CO2, liquid CO2, and supercritical CO2 extractions, with specific temperature and pressure conditions to prevent sintering and compression, ensuring effective removal of monomers and oligomers while maintaining the material's integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-generated harmful factors

If supercritical CO2 extraction is used to remove monomers and oligomers, then odour activity is reduced, but the material undergoes sintering or compression leading to reduced permeability and altered consistency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveodour activityVSAvoidmaterial consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The extraction process is divided into five distinct stages with alternating liquid and supercritical CO2 treatments, allowing selective removal of monomers and oligomers while preventing sintering and compression of the polyalkenamer material

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The process dynamically adjusts temperature and pressure parameters between extraction stages to control the physical state of CO2 (liquid/supercritical/gaseous), enabling effective extraction while maintaining material integrity and preventing sintering

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-generated harmful factors

If supercritical CO2 extraction is used to remove monomers and oligomers, then odour activity is reduced, but permeability of the material is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveodour activityVSAvoidpermeability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The extraction process is divided into five distinct stages with alternating liquid and supercritical CO2 treatments, allowing selective removal of monomers and oligomers while preventing sintering and compression of the polyalkenamer material

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The process uses periodic alternation between liquid and supercritical CO2 stages, allowing extraction to occur during supercritical phases while liquid phases prevent sintering and maintain permeability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Quantity of substance

If conventional extraction methods are used, then monomers and oligomers are removed, but the original form and consistency of the product is altered

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemonomer and oligomer contentVSAvoidproduct form

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The extraction process is divided into five distinct stages with alternating liquid and supercritical CO2 treatments, allowing selective removal of monomers and oligomers while preventing sintering and compression of the polyalkenamer material

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The process dynamically adjusts temperature and pressure parameters between extraction stages to control the physical state of CO2 (liquid/supercritical/gaseous), enabling effective extraction while maintaining material integrity and preventing sintering

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 process effectively reduces odour activity and monomer/oligomer content, maintaining the active barrier effect of polyalkenamers, thus enabling their use in food packaging without compromising material consistency or form.

Implementation Method 1

working up the product mixture to remove monomers and oligomers of the cycloalkenes to obtain the polyalkenamer-containing composition by extraction with CO2

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLiquid-liquid extraction: Liquid-Liquid Extraction

Implementation Method 2

the extraction comprises at least the consecutive stages: b0) an extraction with liquid CO2, then b1) an extraction with supercritical CO2, then b2) an extraction with gaseous CO2, then b0) an extraction with liquid CO2, and then b3) an extraction with supercritical CO2

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhase change: Phase Change

Data Source

PatentEP3526263B1Process for preparing polyalkenamers for packaging applications

Publication Date: 2019.12.25 EVONIK OPERATIONS GMBH

Figure 1~2

AI summary

The present invention relates to a process for producing cycloalkenamer-containing compositions, comprising the steps of: a) converting at least one cycloalkene by ring-opening metathetic polymerization to obtain a polyalkenamer-containing product mixture, and b) working up the product mixture to remove monomers and oligomers of the cycloalkenes to obtain the polyalkenamer-containing composition by extraction with CO2, whereby the polyalkenamers are polymers of cycloalkenes which comprise at least five cycloalkane monomer units, wherein the extraction comprises at least two stages: b0) an extraction with liquid CO2, then b1) an extraction with supercritical CO2, then b2) an extraction with gaseous CO2, then b0) an extraction with liquid CO2, then and then b3) an extraction with supercritical CO2.