Transparent Gel Candle Base Using Dual Glutamide Gelling Agents

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing transparent candle bases lack sufficient transparency and hardness, often requiring external support, and can exhibit undesirable characteristics such as shifting, darkening, or cracking during burning, while also failing to meet stringent requirements for safe and pleasant burning.

Innovation Solution

A transparent gel candle base composition using a combination of dibutyl lauroyl glutamide and dibutyl ethylhexanoyl glutamide as gelling agents, along with a hydrocarbon oil and optional additives, which improves transparency and hardness, and ensures stable burning properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If conventional transparent candle bases are used, then transparency is achieved, but hardness and rigidity are insufficient requiring external support

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovetransparencyVSAvoidhardness
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a composite gel system combining multiple gelling agents (dibutyl lauroyl glutamide and dibutyl ethylhexanoyl glutamide) with hydrocarbon oils to create a material that simultaneously achieves high transparency and sufficient hardness for self-supporting candles

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Illumination intensity

If conventional transparent candle bases are used, then transparency is achieved, but structural integrity deteriorates causing cracking and fracturing

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovetransparencyVSAvoidstructural integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The composite gel formulation with specific gelling agents creates a more uniform and resilient structure that maintains transparency while preventing cracking and fracturing during burning

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the concentration and type of gelling agents to change the physical parameters of the gel, achieving a balance between transparency and structural strength that prevents cracking

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If candle body material melts at low temperature, then ease of burning is improved, but harmful effects increase due to dripping and pool ignition

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of burningVSAvoiddripping
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The gel formulation is designed to melt at an optimized temperature range that allows easy burning while maintaining sufficient viscosity to prevent excessive dripping and pool formation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Object-generated harmful factors

If candle body material has high melting temperature, then dripping is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates due to flame starvation

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovedrippingVSAvoidflame maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The gel composition is engineered with specific melting point characteristics that ensure the material melts sufficiently for capillary action to fuel the flame while maintaining enough structure to prevent dripping

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 achieves a transmittance of at least 80% and enhanced hardness, preventing exudation and excessive sooting, while maintaining structural integrity and aesthetic appeal, with candles that are self-supporting and do not crack or split during burning.

Implementation Method 1

a gelling agent comprising dibutyl lauroyl glutamide and dibutyl ethylhexanoyl glutamide

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGel formation: Gel

Implementation Method 2

This molten material is then drawn up through and along the wick by capillary action to fuel the flame

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Data Source

PatentEP2475755B1Transparent gel candle base
Publication Date: 2016.05.18 FIRMENICH SA

AI summary

The present invention relates to transparent gel candle bases that may be used as a base material of transparent candles, to the transparent candles made therefrom, and to methods of making such candle bases and candles. The transparent gel candle bases of the present invention include a hydrocarbon oil and a gelling agent comprising dibutyl lauroyl glutamide and dibutyl ethylhexanoyl glutamide.