Dissolvable Unit Dose Paste Stabilization at High Surfactant Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water-soluble unit dose articles with paste loading compositions face stability issues during storage and dosing, particularly when surfactant levels are high, leading to aggregation, sedimentation, and phase separation, which compromises dosing consistency and active ingredient levels.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a polyalkylene polymer into the non-aqueous paste within a dissolvable unit dose article, specifically a polyalkylene graft copolymer with a polyalkylene oxide component as a graft base and polyvinyl ester and polyvinylpyrrolidone side chains, enhances stability and improves leakage performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If high levels of surfactants (more than 30%, 40%, or 45%) are included in the paste loading composition, then the cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the paste stability deteriorates leading to aggregation, sedimentation, and phase separation
Solution Approach 1:
A thickening agent is introduced as an intermediary substance to mediate between the surfactant and solid particles. The thickening agent increases the paste viscosity and provides a stabilizing matrix that prevents direct interaction between incompatible components, thereby preventing aggregation and phase separation while allowing high surfactant levels to be maintained
Solution Approach 2:
The paste is formulated as a composite material system consisting of surfactants, solid particles, and a thickening agent working together. The thickening agent creates a composite structure that provides both the desired high surfactant concentration for cleaning effectiveness and the structural integrity needed for storage stability
2Stability of the object's composition
If thickening agents including silica and clays are used to improve paste stability, then the paste stability is improved, but the total active ingredient level is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the paste by adjusting viscosity through the thickening agent rather than adding large quantities of inert fillers. This parameter change allows the paste to stabilize at high active ingredient concentrations without requiring dilution with inactive materials like excess silica or clay
3Quantity of substance
If solid particles and non-aqueous liquid are added together in high concentrations, then the cleaning performance is improved, but the paste becomes unstable with aggregation and sedimentation
Solution Approach 1:
The thickening agent serves as a mediator between solid particles and non-aqueous liquid, creating a stabilized suspension system. It provides a viscous continuous phase that keeps solid particles dispersed and prevents them from aggregating or settling, allowing high concentrations of both components to coexist stably
Data Source
AI summary
This present invention provides a dissolvable unit dose article containing high active paste.