Unit Dose Pac Water Binding Agent Film Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing unit dose liquid detergent compositions are limited to low water content to prevent the dissolution or dispersion of water-soluble films, which restricts their stability and convenience of use.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a water binding agent into the aqueous composition of unit dose pacs, which helps bind water and prevent premature dissolution of the film, allowing for higher water content while maintaining stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If water content is increased in unit dose liquid detergent compositions, then cost of goods is reduced and convenience of use is improved, but the water-soluble film dissolves or disperses prematurely
Solution Approach 1:
A water-binding agent is introduced as an intermediary substance that mediates between the high water content composition and the water-soluble film. The water-binding agent preferentially binds water molecules, reducing the free water available to dissolve the film, thereby allowing high water content while maintaining film stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The chemical composition parameters of the aqueous phase are modified by adding water-binding agents (such as salts, sugars, or other hydrophilic compounds) that change the water activity and binding characteristics. This parameter change allows the system to tolerate higher water content without compromising film integrity.
2Ease of manufacture
If water content is increased in unit dose compositions, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but pre-mature dissolution of the film occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The water-binding agent serves as a protective intermediary that allows manufacturers to use higher water content (reducing cost) while preventing the harmful effect of premature film dissolution through selective water binding.
3Reliability
If conventional water-soluble films are used with high water content compositions, then the film dissolves or disperses prematurely, but if water content is limited, then stability is improved
Solution Approach 1:
The water-binding agent acts as a protective intermediary that decouples the relationship between water content and film stability. It binds excess water, preventing it from attacking the film structure, thereby allowing high water content while maintaining stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The water activity and chemical environment parameters are changed by adding water-binding agents, which modifies the interaction between water and the film material, allowing stable encapsulation of high water content compositions.
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 use of a water binding agent enables unit dose pacs to have a significantly higher water content than conventional pacs, while ensuring stability and rigidity, even under stressed packaging conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the inclusion of a water binding agent in an aqueous composition of a unit dose pac helps to bind water, preventing pac films from being dissolved or dispersed pre-maturely
Implementation Method 2
One of the structured surfactant system is a gel form. A high content active (e.g., surfactant) formulation, for example, surfactants in an amount of or more than 40%wt, requires less amount of the salt to effectuate a gel formation.
Data Source
AI summary
Stable unit dose compositions with high water content are provided. Such unit dose compositions include an aqueous composition having a water activity of from about 0.65 to about 0.95 and a water-soluble container formed from a water-soluble or water-dispersible film material. In one embodiment, the aqueous composition includes water in an amount of 25% to 70% by weight, a surfactant system, and a water binding agent. The surfactant system may include: (1) a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) and/or an alcohol ethoxylsulfate (AES), (2) a non-ionic surfactant, and (3) a fatty acid. The unit dose compositions can prevent the enclosed liquid detergent composition with a high level of water content from dissolving or pre-maturely dispersing the water-soluble container.