KR102621641B1 - Eco-friendly cat litter composition with reusable and excellent biodegradability - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an eco-friendly cat litter composition that is reusable and has excellent biodegradability. More specifically, it is composed of polylactic acid as the main ingredient, and contains components that control particle size and specific gravity, antibacterial, deodorize, and improve absorption rate, as well as cats' preference. It is made by containing more improving ingredients.
The cat litter composition composed of the above ingredients is reusable, exhibits excellent biodegradability, does not generate powder, and has a particle size, specific gravity, and absorption rate suitable for cat litter, and has excellent antibacterial and deodorizing effects to prevent cat dermatitis. , prevents cystitis and eye disease, does not pollute indoor air, and has improved palatability.

Description

Eco-friendly cat litter composition that is reusable and highly biodegradable {ECO-FRIENDLY CAT LITTER COMPOSITION WITH REUSABLE AND EXCELLENT BIODEGRADABILITY}

The present invention relates to an eco-friendly cat litter composition that is reusable and has excellent biodegradability. More specifically, it is reusable, exhibits excellent biodegradability, does not generate powder, and has a particle size and specific gravity suitable for cat litter. It relates to an eco-friendly cat litter composition that exhibits high absorption rate, prevents dermatitis, cystitis, and eye disease in cats due to excellent antibacterial and deodorizing effects, is reusable, shows improved palatability without polluting indoor air, and is highly biodegradable.

According to the 'Report by Euromonitor Senior Researcher Kyeong-seon Moon' on May 21, 2022, as of 2021, there were 4.67 million domestic pets, of which 3.28 million were dogs and 1.39 million were cats, which is the number announced by Statistics Korea. As an estimate based on the results of the Population and Housing Census sample count, last year, Statistics Korea revealed the results of a survey showing that 3.129 million households out of a total of 20.927 million households have companion animals.

Meanwhile, many social problems are being caused by the overabundance of disposable toilet-related waste such as disposable sand, bentonite, cassava, tofu sand, wood/pulp, crystal, and safflower seed, and the cat litter currently used is a disposable material. It is being used and its usage is expected to increase in the future, but cat litter discarded after use is a huge burden on the environment and aesthetics.

In addition, when many wild and marine animals ingest discarded disposable sand, the disposable sand components return to our human tables along the food chain, and leachate is generated in landfills, becoming another cause of environmental pollution. It is becoming.

Entering the 21st century, environmental issues have become an issue, and in a social atmosphere that was simply focused on industrial development, eco-friendly concepts that aim to prevent and preserve well-being and environmental pollution are now emerging, and the Ministry of Environment is regulating some disposable products. However, the amount of waste from cat-related products is increasing as the number of cats increases.

Ideally, if products such as disposable cat litter can be easily recovered, they can be reused or recycled as raw materials through chemical decomposition, but in reality, recovery is not only difficult but also uneconomical.

In addition, conventional disposable cat litter is transformed into fine powder and blows away dust, causing frequent cleaning and skin allergies, dermatitis, eye diseases, etc. It is vulnerable to moisture, so mold easily grows and deteriorates, and its deodorizing power is weak, so it cannot be used in indoor spaces. There was a problem causing a bad smell.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2021-0153367 (2021.12.17.) Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2022-0028971 (2022.03.08.)

The purpose of the present invention is that it is reusable, has excellent biodegradability, does not generate powder, and has a particle size, specific gravity, and absorption rate suitable for cat litter, and has excellent antibacterial and deodorizing effects to prevent dermatitis, cystitis, and eye disease in cats. The aim is to provide an eco-friendly cat litter composition that prevents cat litter, is reusable, and has excellent biodegradability without polluting indoor air and has improved palatability.

The object of the present invention is achieved by providing an eco-friendly cat litter composition that is reusable and has excellent biodegradability, characterized by containing polylactic acid.

According to a preferred feature of the present invention, the reusable, biodegradable, eco-friendly cat litter composition further contains a first additive, and the first additive is selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, zeolite, bentonite, red clay, and wood flour. It shall be comprised of more than one.

According to a more preferred feature of the present invention, the first additive is made by mixing calcium carbonate, zeolite, bentonite, red clay, and wood powder in a weight ratio of 1:1:1:1:1.

According to a more preferred feature of the present invention, the first additive is contained in an amount of 80 to 100 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the polylactic acid.

According to an even more preferred feature of the present invention, the reusable, biodegradable, eco-friendly cat litter composition further contains a second additive, and the second additive is catnip, pheromone, thyme, olive, lavender, basil, and peppermint. It shall be composed of one or more selected from the group consisting of chamomile, valerian, thyme and fruit flavoring.

According to an even more preferred feature of the present invention, the second additive is made by mixing catnip, thyme and olive in a weight ratio of 1:1:1.

According to an even more preferred feature of the present invention, the second additive is contained in an amount of 2 to 10 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the polylactic acid.

According to an even more preferred feature of the present invention, the reusable, biodegradable, eco-friendly cat litter composition has a particle size of 0.5 to 2.5 millimeters and a specific gravity of 2 to 2.5.

The reusable, biodegradable, eco-friendly cat litter composition according to the present invention is reusable, exhibits excellent biodegradability, does not generate powder, has a particle size, specific gravity, and absorption rate suitable for cat litter, and has excellent antibacterial properties. It prevents dermatitis, cystitis, and eye disease in cats due to its deodorizing effect, and has the excellent effect of providing reusable, highly biodegradable cat litter that does not pollute indoor air and has improved palatability.

Below, preferred embodiments of the present invention and the physical properties of each component are described in detail, but are intended to be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily practice the invention. This does not mean that the technical idea and scope of the present invention are limited.

The reusable, eco-friendly cat litter composition according to the present invention with excellent biodegradability is characterized by containing polylactic acid.

Polylactic acid (PLA) is recognized as a leading biodegradable/compostable polymer for the manufacture of plastics and fibers and is manufactured from lactic acid, which is derived from corn (e.g. Zea mays), It is a fermentation byproduct obtained from wheat (e.g. Triticum spp), rice (e.g. Oryza sativa), or sugar beets (e.g. Beta vulgaris).

In addition, the recently standardized biodegradability refers to a material that decomposes more than 90% of the standard cellulose into water and carbon dioxide over 6 months by activated microorganisms at a temperature of 60℃ and humidity of 80%. Materials showing a greenhouse gas reduction effect of up to 74% compared to chemical synthetic materials.

Since polylactic acid, which exhibits the above physical properties, itself has antibacterial and deodorizing functions, it not only inhibits the growth of bacteria and mold in cat litter and deterioration, but also makes cat litter reusable through processes such as washing. It plays a role in providing.

In addition, the eco-friendly, reusable and biodegradable cat litter composition made of polylactic acid as described above can be molded into a sphere or cube, etc., and is preferably molded to have a diameter of 0.5 to 2.5 millimeters. If the diameter of the cat litter is less than 0.5 millimeters, it can easily scatter and contaminate the room, and if the diameter of the cat litter composition exceeds 2.5 millimeters, the space between the cat litters becomes too large, which is undesirable because the cat's urine and feces easily pass through.

In addition, the eco-friendly cat litter composition that is reusable and has excellent biodegradability according to the present invention may further contain a first additive, and the first additive is preferably contained in an amount of 80 to 100 parts by weight compared to 100 parts by weight of the polylactic acid. do.

The first additive not only improves the specific gravity of cat litter to prevent it from scattering easily, but also provides antibacterial and deodorizing effects and improves absorption rate. It is a group consisting of calcium carbonate, zeolite, bentonite, red clay, and wood flour. It is preferable that it consists of one or more selected ones, and it is more preferable that calcium carbonate, zeolite, bentonite, red clay, and wood powder are mixed in a weight ratio of 1:1:1:1:1.

The first additive consisting of the above ingredients not only acts as a filler to improve the mechanical properties of cat litter, but also absorbs and removes odors such as ammonia generated from cat urine and further improves the antibacterial effect, preventing contamination by bacteria, etc. It plays a role in suppressing dermatitis, cystitis, and eye diseases caused by the use of cat litter.

If the content of the first additive is less than 80 parts by weight, the above effect is not only minimal, but also the specific gravity of the cat litter is less than 2. If the content of the first additive exceeds 100 parts by weight, the above effect is not significantly improved. However, it is undesirable because the specific gravity of cat litter exceeds 2.5.

The eco-friendly cat litter that is reusable and has excellent biodegradability according to the present invention preferably has a specific gravity of 2 to 2.5. If the specific gravity of the cat litter is less than 2, it can easily scatter due to a cat's kicking, etc., polluting the indoor environment. This is because, if the specific gravity of the cat litter exceeds 2.5, the weight of the cat litter may increase excessively and the usability may be reduced.

In addition, the reusable and highly biodegradable eco-friendly cat litter composition further contains a second additive, and the second additive is catnip, pheromone, thyme, olive, lavender, basil, peppermint, chamomile, valerian, thyme, and It is preferable that it is made of one or more selected from the group consisting of fruit flavorings, and it is more preferable that it is made by mixing catnip, thyme and olive in a weight ratio of 1:1:1.

The catnip helps the cat feel mental pleasure while strongly stimulating the sense of smell, and plays a role in inducing physical activity and relieving stress in cats.

In addition, the pheromone is an exocrine component secreted by two human sweat glands, the eccrine and apocrine glands, and serves to provide emotional stability to cats.

In addition, the sedge plays a role in providing cat litter with improved palatability by emitting a scent that cats like. Around March 2017, a joint research team from the Institute of Organic Chemistry at the Technical University of Braunschweig in Germany and the University of California's School of Veterinary Medicine in the U.S. tested 100 cats to see how they react to catnip, thyme berries, and various plants. Surprisingly, it was not catnip, but catnip. Cats showed the highest preference for dried linden berries.

In addition, the olive contains a substance called oleuropein, an active ingredient extracted from the tree, leaves, and stems of the olive, which stimulates the cat's sense of smell, causing it to become active such as rubbing or licking its body and causing behavior similar to that performed during mating. The mind plays a comfortable and stable stimulating role.

In addition, the lavender not only relieves the cat's tension and calms the mind due to its unique scent, but also improves the habits of cats that are easily anxious or aggressive.

In addition, the basil emits a strong scent and has a high preference for cats due to its activation effect, and the peppermint strongly stimulates the sense of smell and helps the cat feel mental pleasure, thereby inducing physical activity and relieving stress. .

In addition, chamomile calms the nerves and helps relax the brain and nervous system, so it not only reduces stress in cats, but also improves inflammation and allergies.

In addition, the valerian (valerian) calms the cat and relaxes it, which helps induce sleep, and the thyme soothes the cat's mind and provides stability, and helps with inflammatory diseases such as conjunctivitis and some allergies. It plays a role in alleviating symptoms such as

In addition, the type of fruit flavoring is not particularly limited, but it is preferably made of ingredients that emit scents such as strawberry, peach, and watermelon, which are highly preferred by cats.

The second additive consisting of the above components is contained in an amount of 2 to 10 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the polylactic acid. If the content of the second additive is less than 2 parts by weight, the cat's preference or the effects listed above are minimal, and the agent 2. If the content of the additive exceeds 10 parts by weight, it is undesirable because the mechanical properties and specific gravity of the cat litter are lowered without significantly improving the cat's preference or the above effects.

Cat litter consisting of the above ingredients is added to the mixer with polylactic acid, the first additive, and the second additive, stirred, melted at a temperature of 120 to 175°C using a compound extruder, and then extruded in the form of a sphere or cube. It is manufactured through a process of cooling and cooling.

Hereinafter, a method for producing an eco-friendly cat litter composition that is reusable and has excellent biodegradability according to the present invention and the physical properties of a cat litter composition prepared by the production method will be described using examples.

<Preparation Example 1> Preparation of first additive

The first additive was prepared by mixing calcium carbonate, zeolite, bentonite, red clay, and wood powder in a weight ratio of 1:1:1:1:1.

<Preparation Example 2> Preparation of second additive

A second additive was prepared by mixing catnip, thyme, and olive in a weight ratio of 1:1:1.

<Example 1>

Put the polylactic acid into the mixer and stir for 10 minutes at a speed of 150 rpm, then put it into the compound extruder, melt it by heating to a temperature of 150℃, extrude it into a sphere with a particle size of 1.5 millimeters, and cool it to room temperature for reuse. An eco-friendly cat litter composition with excellent biodegradability was prepared.

<Example 2>

Proceed in the same manner as in Example 1, but by mixing 90 parts by weight of the first additive prepared in Preparation Example 1 with 100 parts by weight of the polylactic acid, an eco-friendly cat litter composition that is reusable and has excellent biodegradability was prepared.

<Example 3>

Proceed in the same manner as in Example 1, but reuse by mixing 90 parts by weight of the first additive prepared through Preparation Example 1 and 6 parts by weight of the second additive prepared through Preparation Example 2 relative to 100 parts by weight of the polylactic acid. An eco-friendly cat litter composition with excellent biodegradability was prepared.

<Comparative Example 1>

Put the polylactic acid into the mixer and stir for 10 minutes at a speed of 150 rpm, then put it into the compound extruder, heat it to a temperature of 150 ℃ and melt it, then extrude it into a sphere shape with a particle size of 0.3 millimeter and cool it to room temperature for reuse. An eco-friendly cat litter composition with excellent biodegradability was prepared.

<Comparative Example 2>

The same procedure as in Comparative Example 1 was carried out, but an eco-friendly cat litter composition that was reusable and had excellent biodegradability was prepared by extruding it into a sphere with a particle size of 3 millimeters.

The deodorizing performance of the cat litter compositions prepared through Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 2 was measured and shown in Table 1 below.

{However, the deodorizing performance was measured using ammonia test gas and a gas concentration meter using FT-IR. 500ppm ammonia gas was put into an airtight container (20cm wide x 20cm long x 20cm high) filled with cat litter. A method of measuring the concentration of ammonia gas over time was used.}

<Table 1>

As shown in Table 1, it can be seen that the cat litter composition prepared through Examples 2 to 3 of the present invention is made of polylactic acid with excellent biodegradability and not only exhibits excellent biodegradability, but also exhibits excellent deodorizing performance. .

At this time, the reason why the deodorizing performance of the cat litter composition prepared through Comparative Example 1 is slightly superior to that of the cat litter composition prepared through Example 1 is that the particle size of the cat litter composition prepared through Comparative Example 1 is small and relatively wide. This is because a specific surface area is formed.

In addition, the antibacterial performance of the cat litter composition prepared through Example 2 and Comparative Example 1 was measured and shown in Table 2 below.

{However, the antibacterial performance was measured using the ASTM standard E2149-10 measurement method, and the bacteria included Escherichia Coli (ATCC 25922), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 15442), and pneumonia. Streptococcus pneumoniae (ATCC 25922), a coccus, was used.}

<Table 2>

As shown in Table 2, the composition for sand for the public offering prepared through Example 2 of the present invention is mixed with the first additive prepared through Preparation Example 1, which has excellent antibacterial performance, and is effective against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. It can be seen that 99.9% antibacterial activity is achieved within 24 hours.

In addition, the specific gravity of the cat litter composition prepared through Example 1 was 1.14, and when the specific gravity of the cat litter composition prepared through Example 2 was measured using a specific gravity meter, it was 2.3, and Example 3 The specific gravity of the cat litter composition prepared through was 2.26.

Therefore, the eco-friendly cat litter composition that is reusable and has excellent biodegradability according to the present invention is not only reusable and has excellent biodegradability but does not generate powder, and has a particle size, specific gravity and water absorption rate suitable for cat litter, Due to its excellent antibacterial and deodorizing effects, it prevents dermatitis, cystitis, and eye disease in cats, and provides reusable, highly biodegradable cat litter that does not pollute indoor air and has improved palatability.

Claims (8)

It consists of 100 parts by weight of polylactic acid, 90 parts by weight of the first additive, and 6 parts by weight of the second additive,
The particle size is 1.5 millimeters, the specific gravity is 2.26,
The first additive is made of red clay,
The second additive is a reusable, highly biodegradable, eco-friendly cat litter composition, characterized in that it consists of one or more selected from the group consisting of pheromone, thyme, olive, lavender, basil, peppermint, chamomile, valerian, and fruit flavoring. delete delete delete delete delete delete delete