Siloxane-Silicone Surface Coating for Fluorine-Free Stain Repellency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current non-fluoropolymer technologies face challenges in achieving efficient water and oily soil repellency on surfaces while maintaining stability and affordability, making them less effective as stain prevention solutions compared to fluoropolymers despite environmental and health concerns associated with fluoropolymers.

Innovation Solution

Aqueous polyorganosiloxane fluid-silicone resin mixtures are developed, comprising specific molecular units and ratios, along with a protonating agent and optional emulsifier, to create a surface treatment composition that provides water and oil repellency, suitable for various substrates including fabrics, without the drawbacks of fluoropolymers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If fluoropolymers are used for stain repellant treatment, then water and oil repellency efficiency is improved, but environmental and health safety deteriorates due to persistent bioaccumulation and toxicity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestain repellant efficiencyVSAvoidenvironmental and health safety

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the fluoropolymer component from the stain repellant formulation, replacing it with alternative polymers that do not possess the harmful bioaccumulative and toxic properties of fluoropolymers while maintaining the desired water and oil repellency performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs alternative polymer materials that are less persistent in the environment compared to fluoropolymers, allowing for safer degradation and reduced long-term environmental accumulation while providing effective stain protection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If non-fluoropolymer compositions are used to avoid environmental harm, then environmental safety is improved, but stain repellant efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental safetyVSAvoidwater and oil repellency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs composite material formulations combining multiple polymer types including polyorganosiloxanes, acrylic polymers, and other silicone-based materials to achieve synergistic effects that provide water and oil repellency comparable to fluoropolymers without the associated environmental hazards

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies key parameters of the polymer composition including molecular weight, crosslink density, and surface chemistry characteristics to optimize the water and oil repellency performance of non-fluoropolymer materials, achieving efficiency levels previously only attainable with fluoropolymers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If polyorganosiloxane and silicone resin combinations are used instead of fluoropolymers, then environmental safety is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental safetyVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity and cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent develops polyorganosiloxane and silicone resin formulations that serve multiple functions simultaneously including water repellency, oil repellency, fabric softening, and durability enhancement, reducing the need for separate treatment steps and thereby simplifying the overall manufacturing process despite the advanced chemistry involved

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 composition effectively repels water and oily soils, reducing staining on treated surfaces with high efficiency and stability, offering a cost-effective alternative to fluoropolymer-based solutions while being environmentally safer.

Implementation Method 1

provides protection of surfaces by repelling water and oil based soils from the surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrophobic effect: Hydrophobe

Implementation Method 2

aqueous polyorganosiloxane fluid-silicone resin mixture comprises from about 2% to about 95%, by weight of the mixture of one or more polyorganosiloxane fluid compounds

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface tension: Surface Tension

Data Source

PatentUS8637442B2Non-fluoropolymer surface protection composition comprising a polyorganosiloxane-silicone resin mixture

Publication Date: 2014.01.28 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO

AI summary

The present invention encompasses a surface treatment composition which comprises a polyorganosiloxane fluid-silicone resin mixture and a carrier. The polyorganosiloxane fluid-silicone resin mixture comprises about 2% to about 95%, by weight of the mixture, of one or more polyorganosiloxane fluid compounds; from about 1% to about 10%, by weight of the mixture, of one or more silicone resin, a protonation agent, at least about 5%, by weight of the mixture; of water; and optionally, less than about 5%, by weight of the mixture, of an emulsifier.