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EP-4737547-A1 - WATER-SOLUBLE FILM AND WATER-SOLUBLE UNIT DOSE ARTICLE MADE THEREFROM

EP4737547A1EP 4737547 A1EP4737547 A1EP 4737547A1EP-4737547-A1

Abstract

Water-soluble film and unit dose article made therefrom, wherein the water-soluble film comprises a water-soluble polymer, wherein the water-soluble polymer comprises a blend of: iii) pectin; and iv) polyvinyl alcohol; and wherein the pectin and the polyvinyl alcohol polymer are in a weight ratio of from 1:9 to less than 1: 1.

Inventors

  • Courchay, Florence Catherine
  • LOCKE, ERICA LYNNE
  • SOARES, Mario Nogueira
  • ZANNONI, LUKE ANDREW

Assignees

  • The Procter & Gamble Company

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20241030

Claims (17)

  1. A water-soluble film, wherein the water-soluble film comprises a water-soluble polymer, wherein the water-soluble polymer comprises a blend of: i) pectin; and ii) polyvinyl alcohol; and wherein the pectin and the polyvinyl alcohol polymer are in a weight ratio of from 1:9 to less than 1:1.
  2. The water-soluble film according to claim 1 wherein the pectin and the polyvinyl alcohol are in a weight ratio of from 1:9 to 3:7.
  3. The water-soluble film according to any of claims 1 or 2, wherein the water-soluble polymer is present between 50% and 95%, preferably between 55% and 90%, more preferably between 60% and 80% by weight of the film.
  4. The water-soluble film according to any of the preceding claims wherein the film comprises a non-aqueous plasticizer, preferably wherein the non-aqueous plasticizer is selected from polyols, sugar alcohols, and mixtures thereof, more preferably selected from glycerol, 1,2-propanediol, trimethylolpropane, dipropylene glycol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, 2-ethyl-2-hydroxymethyl-1,3-propanediol, triethyleneglycol, polyethyleneglycol, sorbitol, or a mixture thereof, most preferably selected from glycerol, sorbitol, trimethylolpropane, dipropylene glycol, and mixtures thereof, preferably wherein the film comprises between 5% and 50%, preferably between 10% and 40%, more preferably between 20% and 30% by weight of the film of the non-aqueous plasticizer.
  5. The water-soluble film according to any of the preceding claims wherein the polyvinyl alcohol has an average percentage degree of hydrolysis of from 75% to 100%, and wherein the polyvinyl alcohol has an average viscosity of from 1 mPas to 30 mPas, wherein the viscosity is measured as a 4% aqueous solution in demineralized water at 20°C.
  6. The water-soluble film according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the polyvinyl alcohol has an average percentage degree of hydrolysis of from 80% to 95% preferably of from 85% to 90%.
  7. The water-soluble film according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the polyvinyl alcohol consists of vinyl alcohol and vinyl acetate monomer units.
  8. The water-soluble film according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the polyvinyl alcohol has an average viscosity of from 5 mPas to 25mPas, preferably from 10 mPas to 25 mPas, wherein the viscosity is measured as a 4% aqueous solution in demineralized water at 20°C.
  9. The water-soluble film according to any preceding claims wherein the water-soluble film comprises a surfactant in an amount between 0.1 % and 5%, preferably between 1% and 3% by weight of the water-soluble film.
  10. The water-soluble film according to any of the preceding claims wherein the water-soluble film comprises a residual moisture content of at least 4%, more preferably from 4% to 15%, even more preferably from 5% to 10% by weight of the film, as measured by Karl Fischer titration.
  11. The water-soluble film according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the water-soluble film has a thickness of between 30µm and 150µm, preferably between 50µm and 100µm, most preferably between 60µm and 85µm.
  12. A process for making the film according to any of the preceding claims comprising the steps of: i) dissolving the polyvinyl alcohol, pectin and optional additives in water to form an aqueous solution; and ii) casting the solution resulting from step i) into a film.
  13. A water-soluble unit dose article comprising a water-soluble film according to any of the preceding claims, a treatment composition and at least one internal compartment, wherein the treatment composition is contained within the at least one internal compartment.
  14. The water-soluble unit dose article according to claim 13, wherein the treatment composition is selected from a laundry detergent composition, laundry softening composition, automatic dishwashing composition, hard surface cleaning composition or a mixture thereof, preferably a laundry detergent composition, preferably the treatment composition is a liquid, a powder, or a mixture thereof, preferably a liquid laundry composition.
  15. The water-soluble unit dose article according to any of claims 13 or 14 wherein the treatment composition comprises a non-soap surfactant, wherein preferably, the non-soap surfactant is selected from anionic non-soap surfactants, non-ionic surfactants, and mixtures thereof, preferably wherein the treatment composition comprises between 10% and 60%, more preferably between 20% and 55% by weight of the treatment composition of the non-soap surfactant.
  16. The water-soluble unit dose article according to any of claims 13 to 15, wherein the treatment composition comprises less than 15%, more preferably less than 13%, most preferably between 1% and 12%, even more preferably from 5% to 12% by weight of the treatment composition of water.
  17. The water-soluble unit dose article according to any of claims 13 to 16, wherein the treatment composition comprises between 10% and 40%, preferably between 15% and 30% by weight of the treatment composition of a non-aqueous solvent.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION Water-soluble film and unit-dose article made therefrom. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is difficult to obtain water-soluble films suitable for laundry applications, especially liquid laundry formulations, that exhibit optimal dissolution, excellent processability, and robust mechanical properties and strength, while being compatible with the enclosed liquid laundry detergent composition. Water-soluble films are widely used in laundry applications, such as detergent unit dose articles or sachets, where they provide convenient and precise dosing while eliminating the need for handling bulk detergent products. WO 2021/127073A1 discloses a water-soluble film and unit dose article made therefrom. The water-soluble film comprises a water-soluble polymer comprising a blend of a caseinate polymer and a polyvinyl alcohol homopolymer. WO202325655A1 and WO202325648A1 relate to water-soluble film comprising pectin and water-soluble capsules utilizing said film. Existing water-soluble films often face challenges in simultaneously achieving desirable dissolution characteristics, ease of manufacturing, compatibility with the liquid laundry detergent composition and mechanical properties required to withstand rigorous handling and transportation. The specific challenges that need to be overcome are as follows: Dissolution Performance: Existing water-soluble films for laundry applications may exhibit suboptimal dissolution properties. They may dissolve too slowly, leaving residues on fabrics or delaying the cleaning process, compromising the effectiveness of the laundry products contained within, or they may dissolve too quickly, with risk to premature rupture upon accidental exposure to water. Achieving the ideal dissolution profile is crucial for ensuring effective and efficient delivery of the laundry products during the washing process. Compatibility with the enclosed detergent composition: When enclosing a detergent composition in a water-soluble film an exchange of detergent actives, especially solvent, may happen between the film and the enclosed detergent composition, which may turn the film sensitive to breakage when getting de-plasticized, or too floppy and sticky when getting overplasticized. Processability: Water-soluble films must be processable using common manufacturing techniques, such as extrusion or casting processes, while maintaining consistent quality and uniformity. They should also be deformable under a vacuum and/or thermal deformation process. Challenges arise in obtaining water-soluble films that can be easily processed without compromising their dissolution properties or compromising the integrity of the film structure. Mechanical Properties and Strength: Water-soluble films need to possess adequate mechanical properties and strength to withstand handling, packaging, transportation, and storage without tearing or breaking. Ensuring the films exhibit sufficient tensile strength, flexibility, and resistance to abrasion and impact is critical to maintaining their structural integrity throughout the product's lifecycle. There is also a demand for decreasing the content of petrochemical derived ingredients in consumer goods and rely more on actives derived from renewable sources. Finding a solution to these challenges is essential to meet the increasing demand for convenient and sustainable laundry products that utilize water-soluble films. The solution aims to develop a novel water-soluble film composition and manufacturing process that simultaneously addresses the dissolution performance, processability, film-detergent composition compatibility and mechanical properties required for effective and reliable use in laundry applications, while increasing the renewable sourced actives content in the water-soluble film. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A first aspect of the present invention is a water-soluble film, wherein the water-soluble film comprises a water-soluble polymer, wherein the water-soluble polymer comprises a blend of pectin and polyvinyl alcohol; the pectin and the polyvinyl alcohol are in a weight ratio of from 1:9 to less than 1:1, preferably from 1:9 to 3:7. The film of the invention presents good dissolution, good compatibility with treatment compositions and good mechanical properties, that contribute to a good processability during the process for making laundry capsules, at an increased bioderived content versus traditional polyvinyl alcohol based films. Preferably, the polyvinyl alcohol has an average percentage degree of hydrolysis of from 75% to 100%, and an average viscosity of from 1 mPas to 30 mPas, and wherein the viscosity is measured as a 4% aqueous solution in demineralized water at 20°C. A second aspect of the present invention is a water-soluble unit dose article comprising a water-soluble film according to the present invention, a treatment composition and at least one internal compartment, wherein the treatment composition is contained within the at le