Solid Esterquat Carrier for Fabric Softener Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fabric softener compositions are difficult to convert from solid to liquid form without effort, and they often require high shear rates, making it challenging for consumers to produce a stable, homogeneous mixture, which also affects fragrance release and packaging efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A solid, powdery composition containing laundry-softening esterquat compounds and fragrance, applied to a carrier material like agglomerated maltodextrin, with perfume microcapsules, that can be easily converted into a liquid fabric softener using a predetermined amount of water, ensuring stability and fragrance retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If fabric softener is formulated as a concentrated solid composition, then packaging material and transport volume are reduced, but the composition becomes difficult to convert into a stable homogeneous liquid mixture without specialized equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The esterquat compound is pre-applied to the carrier material in a specific amount range (0.1-10 wt% based on carrier material), creating a pre-prepared solid composition that is optimized for consumer conversion. This preliminary preparation ensures that when water is added, the composition will dissolve and disperse properly without requiring specialized equipment, thus resolving the contradiction between concentrated packaging and ease of conversion.
Solution Approach 2:
A carrier material (such as maltodextrin, silica gel, or calcium carbonate) is introduced as an intermediary substance to hold the esterquat compound. This carrier enables the solid composition to be freely flowable while maintaining the ability to dissolve and disperse uniformly in water, thus facilitating easy conversion to liquid form without specialized equipment while keeping the packaging concentrated.
2Reliability
If common quaternary ammonium compounds are used as cationic surfactants, then fabric softening effect is achieved, but the solid compounds require melting and high shear rates to obtain stable homogeneous mixture
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state parameter of the esterquat compound from requiring melting (high temperature) and high shear mixing to simply dissolving in water at ambient or mild temperatures. By applying the esterquat to a carrier material in advance, the compound is pre-positioned for easy dissolution, eliminating the need for complex mixing equipment while maintaining reliable fabric softening effect.
3Loss of energy
If solid fabric softener composition is designed for consumer conversion, then resource savings in logistics are achieved, but rapid dissolution and stable distribution after shaking are difficult to ensure
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier material provides a porous or absorbent structure that facilitates rapid dissolution when water is added. The esterquat compound is distributed within the carrier material's structure, allowing water to penetrate and dissolve the compound quickly and uniformly, ensuring rapid dissolution and stable distribution after shaking, thus maintaining high productivity while achieving logistics energy savings through concentrated packaging.
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 solution allows for a stable, homogeneous liquid fabric softener to be produced without specialized equipment, maintaining scent properties and reducing packaging material usage, while ensuring easy handling and efficient resource use.
Implementation Method 1
the laundry softening esterquat compound is applied to a carrier material
Implementation Method 2
the fragrance comprises free perfume and at least one type of perfume capsule
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a solid composition suitable for producing a fabric softener, comprising a fabric-softening esterquat compound and a fragrance, wherein the fabric-softening esterquat compound is applied to a carrier material, and the total amount of fabric-softening esterquat compound and carrier material is 50 to 99% by weight, based on the total composition, and wherein the fragrance comprises free perfume and at least one type of perfume capsule. The present invention further relates to liquid compositions obtainable from this solid composition and to methods for producing a liquid, stable, and homogeneous fabric softener composition.