Polymeric Particle Textile Cleaning Without Organic Solvents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional dry cleaning methods for textiles rely on toxic halocarbon solvents or carbon dioxide, posing environmental and safety risks, and require high pressures, while lacking effective stain removal for hydrophobic stains.
Innovation Solution
A solvent-free dry cleaning method using polymeric particles, such as nylon chips, with optional surfactant coating, that requires limited water for effective stain removal from textile fibers, avoiding organic solvents and high-pressure systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional dry cleaning uses halocarbon solvents, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but environmental harm and toxicity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the harmful halocarbon solvent component from the dry cleaning system, replacing it with an alternative cleaning mechanism using polymeric particles and limited water that achieves effective stain removal without toxic chemicals
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental parameters of the cleaning system by transitioning from solvent-based chemistry to a mechanical/physical cleaning approach using polymeric particles, thereby eliminating toxicity while maintaining cleaning effectiveness
2Object-affected harmful factors
If carbon dioxide is used as a solvent, then environmental impact is reduced, but solvent power decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces polymeric particles as an intermediary cleaning agent that bridges the gap between environmental sustainability and cleaning effectiveness, providing the necessary solvent power that carbon dioxide lacks while maintaining environmental benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite cleaning formulations combining polymeric particles with limited water and optional surfactants to achieve enhanced cleaning performance that overcomes the low solvent power of carbon dioxide while maintaining environmental sustainability
3Productivity
If high pressure systems are used with carbon dioxide, then cleaning capability is improved, but safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the high-pressure mechanical system with carbon dioxide with a low-pressure system using polymeric particles and limited water, achieving effective cleaning without the inherent safety risks of high-pressure equipment
4Quantity of substance
If conventional dry cleaning uses no added water, then solvent requirements are reduced, but stain removal effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using limited water specifically where needed - moistening the substrate before application of polymeric particles - thereby achieving enhanced stain removal effectiveness only where required while maintaining overall low water consumption
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 method achieves efficient removal of hydrophobic and aqueous stains with reduced environmental impact and operational costs, allowing for re-use of polymeric particles with minimal effluent generation.
Implementation Method 1
the use of a solvent-free cleaning treatment... employs a cleaning formulation which is essentially free of organic solvents and requires the use of only limited amounts of water
Implementation Method 2
fabrics and garments which are subjected to dry cleaning will inevitably contain significant amounts of water, which generally becomes entrapped therein by absorption or adsorption from the atmosphere
Implementation Method 3
systems which employ liquid carbon dioxide in combination with surfactants containing a CO2-philic functional moiety
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a method and formulation for cleaning a soiled substrate, the method comprising the treatment of the moistened substrate with a formulation comprising a multiplicity of polymeric particles, wherein the formulation is free of organic solvents. Preferably, the substrate is wetted so as to achieve a substrate to water ratio of between 1:0.1 to 1:5 w/w. Optionally, the formulation additionally comprises at least one cleaning material and, in this embodiment, it is preferred that the polymeric particles are coated with the at least one cleaning material. Preferably, the cleaning material comprises a surfactant, which most preferably has detergent properties. Most preferably, the substrate comprises a textile fiber. Typically, the polymeric particles comprise particles of nylon, most preferably in the form of nylon chips. The results obtained are very much in line with those observed when carrying out conventional dry cleaning processes and the method provides the significant advantage that the use of solvents, with all the attendant drawbacks in terms of cost and environmental considerations, can be avoided.