Solid-Dissolvable Perfume Capsule Compositions with Low-Water Crystalline Mesh
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solid dissolvable compositions face limitations in perfume capsule loading due to high water requirements, slurry viscosity, and instability, leading to inefficient freshness delivery and increased production costs.
Innovation Solution
A two-temperature step cooling process is employed to crystallize crystallizing agents, reducing water usage to less than 2.0 kg/kg and achieving a low shear viscosity of less than 100 Pa·s, enabling higher perfume capsule loading of 12 wt.% to 70 wt.% in a solid-dissolvable composition with a fibrous mesh structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If perfume capsule slurry is used with PEG carrier, then the composition can be made water-soluble and dissolvable, but the water content makes the composition too soft and limits perfume capsule loading to about 1.5 wt. %
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the carrier system from PEG (which requires high water content for solubility) to anhydrous sodium fatty acid carboxylates. This parameter change allows the composition to achieve water-solubility through the crystalline mesh structure formed by the carboxylates during dissolution, rather than relying on PEG's hygroscopic properties. As a result, perfume capsule loading can be increased to 12-70 wt. % while maintaining proper dissolvability and softness balance.
2Ease of manufacture
If water is added to the slurry to improve mixing and processability, then the slurry becomes more fluid, but the water requirement increases to 2.3-4.8 kg water per 1 kg composition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates PEG from the formulation entirely, replacing it with anhydrous sodium fatty acid carboxylates. This removes the need for PEG's water-based solubility mechanism, thereby eliminating the excessive water requirement (2.3-4.8 kg water per 1 kg composition) that was necessary to keep the PEG-based slurry fluid and mixable. The new system achieves processability without such high water content.
3Productivity
If the composition is made with higher perfume capsule concentration to improve freshness delivery, then the freshness dose increases, but the composition becomes too soft and difficult to handle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite material system where anhydrous sodium fatty acid carboxylates form a crystalline mesh structure that serves as both the carrier matrix and the softening agent. This composite structure allows high perfume capsule loading (12-70 wt. %) while the crystalline mesh provides the necessary softness and handling properties. The mesh structure dissolves controllably during washing, releasing the high concentration of perfume capsules for enhanced freshness delivery.
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 results in firmer, more stable compositions with enhanced freshness delivery capabilities, reducing production costs and improving consumer experience by allowing higher perfume capsule concentrations.
Implementation Method 1
crystallizing the crystallizing agent
Implementation Method 2
A two-temperature step cooling process is employed to crystallize crystallizing agents
Implementation Method 3
drying to remove water until the solid dissolvable composition comprises less than 10 wt % water
Data Source
AI summary
A process for preparing a solid dissolvable composition comprising perfume capsules dispersed in a crystalline mesh. The crystalline mesh comprises a relatively rigid, three-dimensional, interlocking crystalline skeleton framework of fiber-like crystalline particles formed from crystallizing agents. The process for preparing the solid-dissolvable composition starts with dissolving the crystallizing agent in the perfume capsule slurry (optionally with a small additional amount of aqueous phase), next forming the product stream into the required size and shape for the solid dissolvable composition, and then drying the solid dissolvable composition to the final composition.