Spherical Clay Antimicrobial Granules for Uniform Toothpaste Dispersion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Bipolar antimicrobial materials in viscous flowable compositions like toothpaste experience uneven distribution and spatial segregation, leading to inconsistent efficacy and visual appearance issues, which cannot be resolved by rheological additives.

Innovation Solution

Formulating spherical granules with a sphericity of 0.7 to 1.0, comprising asymmetric 1:1 or 2:1:1 clay and quaternary ammonium compounds, ensuring uniform suspension and distribution in personal care compositions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If bipolar antimicrobial material is formulated into viscous flowable composition like toothpaste, then the composition can provide antimicrobial benefit, but the material is not distributed uniformly across the packaged composition leading to spatial segregation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantimicrobial efficacyVSAvoiduniform distribution
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The bipolar antimicrobial material is segmented into discrete granules with controlled size distribution (D10-D90 ratio of 1.2 to 1.5) and spherical shape (sphericity of 0.7 to 1.0). This segmentation prevents aggregation and ensures uniform distribution throughout the viscous composition, eliminating spatial segregation while maintaining antimicrobial efficacy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The granules are formed with spherical geometry (sphericity of 0.7 to 1.0) rather than irregular shapes. This spheroidality reduces rolling resistance and improves flow characteristics within the tube, ensuring uniform distribution of the antimicrobial material throughout the packaged composition while maintaining structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Stability of the object's composition

If rheological additives are used to arrest free movement of bipolar antimicrobial material, then distribution uniformity may improve, but the viscosity of the composition is unavoidably affected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedistribution uniformityVSAvoidviscosity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the need for rheological additives by using physically optimized granule characteristics (sphericity of 0.7 to 1.0, controlled size distribution). The uniform distribution is achieved through granule design rather than chemical additives, avoiding any unwanted effects on composition viscosity while maintaining distribution uniformity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of manufacture

If powdery or amorphous form of bipolar antimicrobial material is used, then the material can be incorporated into composition, but visual appearance problems occur in transparent or water-white formulations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveincorporation easeVSAvoidvisual appearance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The granules are formed with spherical geometry (sphericity of 0.7 to 1.0) which provides superior visual appearance in transparent or water-white formulations compared to powdery or amorphous forms. The spherical shape scatters light more uniformly, improving aesthetics while the controlled size distribution (D10-D90 ratio of 1.2 to 1.5) ensures ease of incorporation into the composition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentEP4532036B1Spherical granules of clay-based antimicrobial particles
Publication Date: 2026.03.04 UNILEVER IP HLDG BV

AI summary

The invention relates to antimicrobial particles in granular form and cosmetic and homecare compositions that comprises such particles. Disclosed is a granular composition comprising 30 to 70 wt% bipolar antimicrobial particle, where said antimicrobial particle comprises a clay and a quaternary ammonium compound, in which said clay is an asymmetric 1:1 or a 2:1:1 clay having alternating tetrahedral and octahedral sheets, terminating with a tetrahedral sheet at one external surface plane and an octahedral sheet at another external surface plane, each said sheet comprising a co-ordinating cation; and said quaternary ammonium compound is attached to said coordinating cation on at least one external surface plane, wherein granules of said composition are spherical, having sphericity of 0.7 to 1.0.