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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microcapsules with resin walls may become microplastics, posing environmental concerns, and they lack stability at high temperatures, affecting the retention of functional agents like fragrances.
Innovation Solution
A composition containing silica capsules that enclose functional agents and water, where the silica capsules are formed using a sol-gel reaction with alkoxysilanes, providing enhanced high-temperature storage stability and avoiding the environmental issues associated with microplastics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If resin-based microcapsules are used to encapsulate functional agents, then the functional agents can be retained and released, but the capsules may become microplastics causing environmental pollution and lack high-temperature stability
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameter of the capsule wall from organic resin to inorganic silica, which fundamentally alters the chemical composition and temperature stability characteristics. This parameter change enables the capsules to withstand high temperatures without deforming or releasing functional agents prematurely, while also eliminating the microplastic pollution issue associated with resin-based capsules
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite material structure where silica serves as the inorganic wall material combined with appropriate surfactants and functional agents. This composite approach provides both the environmental benefits of inorganic materials (no microplastic pollution) and the functional requirements of encapsulation, achieving high-temperature stability while maintaining encapsulation effectiveness
2Reliability
If silica capsules are used instead of resin capsules, then environmental pollution is reduced and high-temperature stability is improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs preliminary action by pre-forming silica capsules with embedded functional agents before incorporating them into the final product formulation. The sol-gel process is used to create the silica wall structure with functional agents already enclosed, which simplifies the overall manufacturing process by eliminating the need for separate encapsulation and product formulation steps
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses surfactants as intermediary substances during the capsule formation process. These surfactants facilitate the sol-gel reaction and help control the morphology and size of the silica capsules during manufacturing, thereby simplifying the production process while maintaining capsule quality consistency
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 silica capsule composition exhibits improved storage stability at high temperatures, effectively retaining functional agents and reducing the risk of environmental pollution from microplastics.
Implementation Method 1
the silica capsules are formed using a sol-gel reaction with alkoxysilanes
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a composition containing (A) a silica capsule enclosing a functional agent, (B) a compound selected from a silicic acid and a silicate, and water, wherein component (B) is contained in the composition separately from component (A). The composition may also comprise (C) a surfactant such that a mass ratio of a content of the component (C) to a content of the component (A) in terms of the enclosed functional agent, (C)/(A), is 5 or more and 500 or less.