WO2016200923A1

WO2016200923A1 - Scouring pad

Info

Publication number: WO2016200923A1
Application number: PCT/US2016/036427
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sang-Won EUN
Original assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
Priority date: 2015-06-09
Filing date: 2016-06-08
Publication date: 2016-12-15
Also published as: KR20160144700A; TW201722337A; KR20180006628A; US20180125331A1

Abstract

Provided is a scouring pad which includes a mesh net including a plurality of biodegradable filaments and a plurality of biodegradable monofilaments overlapping the filaments A plurality of protrusions are formed in a region in which the filaments overlap the monofilaments.

Description

SCOURING PAD

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a scouring pad, and more particularly, to a scouring pad which is environment-friendly and has higher detergency. The present disclosure is directed to providing an environment-friendly scouring pad which has excellent cleaning performance, easily makes foam, and does not cause any scratches on a surface.

Background

Generally, scouring pads are widely used to remove scraps on dishes and the like. When such a scouring pad is manufactured of a synthetic polymer fiber, a problem of environmental pollution caused by processing a waste polymer during disposal may occur. Because of the problem, scouring pads manufactured using an environment-friendly polymer are being developed.

However, conventional scouring pads manufactured using an environment-friendly polymer generally either have lower detergency or do not make foam well. Also, such products may cause scratches on the surface of a cleaning target such as a dish.

Summary of the Invention

To solve the problems of the conventional art described above, the scouring pad according to the present disclosure includes a mesh net including a plurality of biodegradable filaments and a plurality of biodegradable monofilaments overlapping the filaments, where a plurality of protrusions are formed in a region in which the filaments overlap the monofilaments.

The filaments may form a lattice-like backbone structure and a network structure in the backbone structure. Also, the monofilaments may overlap the filaments while forming a twisted structure with the backbone structure thereof. Here, the protrusions may be formed at crossing points of a lattice shape of the backbone structure.

The protrusions may have a height of about 1 to about 3 mm. The filament may be a multifiber including a plurality of threads, and the monofilament may be a monofiber including a single thread.

The monofilament may have a mean diameter, which is about 20 to about 50 times that of the filament.

The filament and the monofilament may be formed of a material containing polylactic acid (PLA).

The scouring pad may further include an edge sewing line. The edge sewing line may be formed with the biodegradable filament, and preferably, a material containing PLA.

A scouring pad according to the present disclosure has excellent detergency, easily makes foam, does not cause scratches on a surface, and is biodegradable when disposed of, which means the scouring pad is environment-friendly.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIGS. 1 to 3 are images of a scouring pad according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 are images of a scouring pad according to an Example and scouring pads according to Comparative Examples 1 to 6.

FIG. 5 are images of comparative results (a detergency test I) for detergency between the scouring pad according to the Example and the scouring pads according to Comparative Examples 4 to 6.

FIG. 6 are images of comparative results (a detergency test II) for detergency between the scouring pad according to the Example and the scouring pads according to Comparative Examples 3 to 6.

FIG. 7 are images of comparative results for scratch resistance between the scouring pad according to the Example and the scouring pads according to Comparative Examples 1 and 3 to 6.

FIG. 8 is a graph showing comparative results for flexibility between the scouring pad according to the Example and a scouring pad according to Comparative Example 7.

Detailed Description

The advantages and characteristics of the present disclosure and the methods of accomplishing the same may be clearly understood by reference to the detailed description of embodiments and the accompanying figures. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, and may be implemented in many different forms. These embodiments are merely provided to complete the disclosure of the present disclosure and fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those of ordinary skill in the art, and the present disclosure should be only defined by the accompanied claims.

The features, sizes, ratios, angles, numbers disclosed in the figures to explain the embodiments of the present disclosure are exemplary, and thus the present disclosure is not limited to the figures. Throughout the specification, like numerals denote like elements. Also, to explain the present disclosure, when detailed description on the related art is determined to unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present disclosure, the detailed description will be omitted.

In the specification, when the terms "include," "have," and "comprise" are used herein, another element other than the described elements may be further included unless the expression "only" is used. Unless clearly described otherwise, the presence of a singular element designates the presence of plural elements.

When the elements are described, the elements should be interpreted as including an error range even though there is no explicit description thereof.

To explain positions, for example, when a part is described as being formed "on," "above," "under," or "beside" another part, one or more parts may be disposed between the two parts when the expression "right" or "directly" is not used.

The characteristics of each embodiment of the present disclosure may be partially or entirely connected or combined with each other, and thus each embodiment can technically be variously interworked and driven.

Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the figures. The embodiments disclosed below are provided as examples to fully convey the idea of the present disclosure to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, the present disclosure may be implemented in a different form without being limited to the embodiments which will be described below.

FIGS. 1 to 3 are images a scouring pad according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is a full image of a scouring pad according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are partially-enlarged images of FIG. 1. Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the scouring pad according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a mesh net 100 and an edge sewing line 200. Such a mesh net

100 includes a plurality of biodegradable filaments 101 and a plurality of biodegradable monofilaments 102. The monofilaments 102 and the filaments 101 overlap each other. Here, the monofilaments 102 may overlap the filaments 101 and form a twisted structure. Also, a plurality of protrusions are formed in a region in which the filaments 101 overlap the monofilaments 102.

The mesh net 100 includes a backbone structure 110 and a network structure 120 in the backbone structure 110. The backbone structure 110 of the mesh net 100 is formed by the plurality of filaments 101 and the plurality of monofilaments 102, and the network structure 120 of the mesh net 100 is formed by the plurality of filaments 101.

The plurality of filaments 101 are disposed to be extended in different predetermined directions and cross with each other, and thereby form the lattice-like backbone structure 110. That is, the backbone structure 110 may be formed in continuous polygonal shapes. In one embodiment, the backbone structure 110 may be formed in continuous tetragonal shapes.

Also, the filaments 101 form the network structure 120 in the backbone structure 110. That is, because the filaments 101 form the backbone structure 110 and the network structure 120, a surface area of the scouring pad is increased, and thus detergency may be improved.

The monofilaments 102 may overlap the backbone structure 110 of the filaments

101 and form the twisted structure. The monofilaments 102 are stiffer than the filaments 101. Therefore, the backbone structure in which the monofilaments 102 overlap the filaments 101 may be more stable and exhibit uniform detergency. Also, as the filaments 101 and the monofilaments 102, which have different characteristics from each other, are overlapped in the twisted structure, excellent detergency may be exhibited, foaming and maintenance of foam may be preferable, scratches on a surface of a cleaning target may be prevented, flexibility may be ensured, and long-term use is possible.

Here, the protrusions may be formed at crossing points 130 of the backbone structure 110. That is, when the backbone structure 110 is formed in a form of continuous tetragonal shapes, the protrusions may be formed in regions corresponding to vertexes of the tetragonal shapes. Such protrusions may be formed by projecting the monofilaments 102 and the filaments 101 together. That is, the protrusion may be a part formed by projecting the twisted structure of the monofilaments 102 and the filaments 101 more than other regions.

The protrusion may have a height of about 1 to about 3 mm. A surface area of the scouring pad according to the present disclosure may be increased due to such a plurality of protrusions. Also, the detergency may be improved due to the stiffness and hardness of the protrusions, and particularly, the protrusions are preferable to remove solid scraps.

The filament 101 is a multifiber including a plurality of threads. That is, the filament 101 may be manufactured by evenly combining several unlimitedly long fibers (filament fibers) such as silk fibers or artificial fibers to twist.

Meanwhile, the monofilament 102 is a monofiber including a single thread. Such a monofilament 102 has a mean diameter larger than the filament 101. The mean diameters of the monofilament 102 and the filament 101 may represent thicknesses, and the thickness of the monofilament 102 is larger than that of the filament 101. In one embodiment, the mean diameter of the monofilament 102 is about 20 to about 50 times, and particularly about 35 to about 45 times, larger than the mean diameter of the filament 101.

Because of such a difference in mean diameters, the filament 101 and the monofilament 102 have different characteristics. For example, the monofilament 102 is rougher and stiffer than the filament 101. That is, the filament 101 is softer and more flexible than the monofilament 102.

For this reason, the scouring pad according to the present disclosure exhibits excellent detergency and excellent foaming effect with respect to solid scraps. For example, a scouring pad only consisting of the filaments 101 has difficulty making foam and has low detergency, but when using the filaments 101 and the monofilaments 102 together, may make foam between the two types of the filaments and have an air contact surface capable of storing the previously-made foam. Also, due to the difference in the characteristics between the filaments 101 and the monofilaments 102, the scouring pad according to the present disclosure may keep and maintain the foam longer.

Also, the scouring pad according to the present disclosure does not need a separate ingredient for making foam. Therefore, scratches caused on a surface of a cleaning target by a separate ingredient for making foam may be prevented. Also, flexibility of the scouring pad according to the present disclosure may be ensured by forming the twisted structure using the filaments 101 and the monofilaments 102 together. For example, since a scouring pad consisting of only the monofilaments 102 has lower flexibility and difficulty bending, users may feel uncomfortable in practical use.

Even when the filaments 101 simply overlap the monofilaments 102 without forming the twisted structure, it is difficult to ensure flexibility. That is, the twisted structure of the filaments 101 and the monofilaments 102 may allow the scouring pad to be stable and flexible.

The monofilaments 102 may be thicker and more transparent than the filaments 101. Therefore, it is hard for scraps to stick to the scouring pad, the scouring pad is easily dried, and thus the generation and survival of bacteria may be prevented. Also, the transparent monofilaments 102 are difficult to be colored. Therefore, the scouring pad can be used longer.

All of the filaments 101 and the monofilaments 102 are biodegradable. That is, since the scouring pad according to the present disclosure is formed of a material including a biodegradable polymer and naturally degraded when disposed of, the scouring pad is environment-friendly.

The filaments 101 and the monofilaments 102 may be formed of a material containing PLA. PLA is an environment-friendly resin formed of a raw material extracted from corn starch. That is, PLA is a material that is stable since there are no detectable harmful materials such as environmental hormones and heavy metals, has almost the same characteristics as an artificial polymer in use, and is 100% biodegraded by microorganisms when disposed of.

Due to the use of PLA, the filaments 101 and the monofilaments 102 may have excellent durability and excellent biodegradability, and thus have a basic mechanical property for the scouring pad. Also, since the scouring pad is formed of a natural ingredient, it may be biodegradable in soil even when disposed of after use.

The scouring pad according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include an edge sewing line 200 disposed along an edge of the mesh net 100. The edge sewing line 200 may be formed with a biodegradable filament. In one embodiment, the edge sewing line 200 may be formed with a material containing PLA. That is, the edge sewing line 200 may be formed by a filament containing PLA. In this case, the edge sewing line 200 may be more environment-friendly than the case of using a non-biodegradable fiber such as nylon.

Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in further detail with reference to examples. However, the examples are only provided to exemplify the present disclosure and are not provided to limit the present disclosure. That is, the embodiments of the present disclosure may be modified in various forms, and the scope of the present disclosure should not be interpreted as being limited by the examples, which will be described below.

Examples

Filaments and monofilaments were manufactured by spinning a PLA fiber extracted from corn. Afterward, the filaments and monofilaments formed of 100% PLA were woven to be a scouring pad (size: 200 mm x 200 mm) including a net and an edge sewing line through a spinning process. Details for the scouring pad manufactured according to the Example are shown in Table 1.

Table 1

Comparative Examples 1-6

Scouring pads according to Comparative Examples 1 to 6 were manufactured by the same method as described in the Example with different materials from that used in the Example. Main ingredients for the scouring pad according to each of the Comparative Examples are shown in Table 2. Table 2

Where:

Comp. Example: Comparative Example

Comparative Example 1: Scotch-Brite™ net scouring pad (Manufacturer: 3M Company, St. Paul, MN)

Comparative Example 2: Biodegradable PET scouring pad (Manufacturer: 3M Company, St. Paul, MN)

Comparative Example 3: PLA Mesh Net scouring pad (Manufacturer: 3M Company, St. Paul, MN)

Comparative Example 4: PLA scouring pad (Manufacturer: 3M Company, St. Paul,

MN)

Comparative Example 5: PLA scouring pad (Manufacturer: 3M Company, St. Paul,

MN)

Comparative Example 6: PLA scouring pad (Manufacturer: Hankook Tamina Co., Ltd., South Korea)

Respective images of the scouring pad according to the Example and the scouring pads according to Comparative Examples 1 to 6 are shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, the top and bottom images are overall and partially-enlarged images, respectively.

Evaluation Tests

1. Detergency test I (Rice Removal Test)

(1) Preparation of Rice Paste: 15 g of rice was put into 500 ml of water and mixed with a mixer for 10 minutes, thereby preparing a rice paste. (2) Preparation of coated panel: A Sus panel having a size of 2 inches x 9 inches was coated with the rice paste solution using a #60 coater rod to a uniform thickness, thereby preparing a coated panel.

(3) The coated panel was mounted on a crockmeter, and the scouring pad according to the Example and the scouring pads according to Comparative Examples 4 to 6 were sequentially mounted on a circular jig having a radius of 1 cm, and then moved back and forth for 10 cycles.

(4) After the back-and-forth movement, a cleaning degree was observed. Results for such a detergency test are shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, it was confirmed that the scouring pad according to the Example exhibited excellent detergency by removing a considerably larger amount of the rice paste than the scouring pads according to the Comparative Examples. Particularly, it was confirmed that, by using the scouring pads according to Comparative Examples 5 and 6, almost all of the rice paste remained.

Consequently, the scouring pads according to Comparative Examples 5 and 6, which include only PLA filaments without PLA monofilaments, had difficulty cleaning the rice paste. Also, while the scouring pad according to Comparative Example 4 including PLA filaments and a PLA multifilament thread was able to clean the rice paste, the scouring pad according to the Example had much higher detergency.

2. Detergency test II (Food Soil Removal Test)

(1) Preparation of food source: 120 g of tomato juice, 120 g of grape juice, 60 g of cheddar cheese, 120 g of milk, 20 g of flour, 100 g of white sugar, 61 g of beaten eggs and

120 g of hamburger meat were ground in a mixer, thereby preparing a food source.

(2) Preparation of coated panel: A Sus panel having a size of 2 inches x 9 inches was coated with the food source solution using a #60 coater rod to a uniform thickness, thereby preparing a coated panel.

(3) Preparation of food soil panel: The coated panel was mounted on an oven and baked at 170 °C. Coating and baking were repeatedly performed three times, and thus a food soil panel was prepared. (4) The food soil panel was fixed to a push-pull device, and the scouring pad according to the Example and the scouring pads according to Comparative Examples 3 to 6 moved back and forth for 10 cycles.

(5) After the back-and-forth movement, a cleaning degree was observed.

Results for such a detergency test are shown in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 6, it was confirmed that the scouring pads according to Comparative Examples 3 to 6 removed very little food soil. Meanwhile, it was confirmed that the scouring pad according to the Example removed almost all of the food soil compared to the scouring pads according to Comparative Examples. That is, it was confirmed that the scouring pad according to the Example exhibited considerably excellent detergency with respect to solid scraps, which were even difficult to be removed by a conventional scouring pad.

Consequently, compared to the scouring pads according to the Comparative Examples, which include only PLA filaments without PLA monofilaments or include PLA filaments and a PLA multifilament thread, the scouring pad according to the Example had much higher detergency.

3. Test for foaming performance

(1) Preparation of detergent: A detergent solution consisting of 5 ml of Na-DBS and 50 ml of water was poured into a beaker and slowly stirred without making foam. (RPM 1800, 100 cycles)

(2) Foaming Test: The scouring pad according to the Example and the scouring pads according to Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Examples 3 to 6 were folded in 2 to 3 layers and fixed to the bottom of a circular jig having a radius of 5 cm, and 2 g of a plastic load moved upward and downward by reciprocating pumping at 1800 rpm for 100 cycles.

(3) The height of foam was calculated by measuring the uppermost height and lowermost height of the foam made by the pumping movement.

(Foam height = the uppermost height of foam - the lowermost height of foam)

Results obtained by calculating the foam height are shown in Table 3. Table 3

As can be seen by the test results, the scouring pad according to the Example exhibited an excellent foaming performance compared to the scouring pads according to Comparative Examples 3 to 6, and exhibited the same level of the foaming performance as the scouring pad according to Comparative Example 1.

Consequently, compared to the scouring pad according to Comparative Example 1 which is not environment-friendly but exhibited excellent foaming performance, the scouring pad according to the Example is not degraded in foaming performance. Also, compared to the scouring pads according to the Comparative Examples, which include only PLA filaments without PLA monofilaments or PLA filaments and a PLA multifilament thread and thus are environment-friendly, the scouring pad according to the Example had much better foaming performance. 4. Scratch resistance test

(1) Preparation of acryl plate: A release paper of an unused acryl plate was removed, and it was washed with acetone once and with heptane three times, thereby preparing an acryl plate.

(2) Non-Scratch Test: The acryl plate was fixed on a crockmeter, and the scouring pad according to the Example and the scouring pads according to Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Examples 3 to 6 were mounted on a circular jig having a radius of 1 cm and then moved back and forth for 30 cycles.

Results for such a scratch resistance test are shown in FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 7, it was confirmed that the scouring pads according to Comparative Examples 1 and 5 made scratches on a cleaning target. That is, while the scouring pad according to Comparative Example 5 included PLA filaments as a first ingredient, an edge sewing line ingredient was nylon and thus the scouring pad was not biodegradable, and since the scouring pad included a PLA film as a second ingredient, it caused scratches. Meanwhile, the scouring pad according to the Example barely caused surface scratches compared to the scouring pads according to Comparative Examples.

5. Flexibility measuring test

(1) Preparation of Comparative Example 7: A scouring pad having a simply- combined structure, instead of a twisted structure formed with PLA filaments and PLA monofilaments, was prepared.

(2) Forces necessary to bend the scouring pad according to the Example and the scouring pad according to Comparative Example 7 in a machine direction (MD) and a cross direction (CD) were measured using a handle-O-meter.

Results for such a flexibility measuring test are show in FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 8, it was confirmed that the force necessary to bend the scouring pad according to Comparative Example 7 was much larger than the force necessary to bend the scouring pad according to the Example. Accordingly, it was confirmed that the flexibility when the PLA filaments and the PLA monofilaments had a simply-combined structure was much lower than the flexibility of the twisted structure.

Consequently, since the scouring pad according to the Example had the twisted structure of the PLA filaments and the PLA monofilaments, the flexibility may be ensured.

6. Biodegradability test

Biodegradability of the scouring pad according to the Example as a test material was detected using cellulose as a standard material according to KS M ISO 14855-1:2010.

Results for the biodegradability test are shown in Table 4.

Table 4

As shown by the test results, it was confirmed that the scouring pad according to the Example had a biodegradability of 95%. Generally, when a material has biodegradability higher than 60% over 45 days, it can be certified as a biodegradable material. Accordingly, the scouring pad according to the Example has a biodegradability of 95%) or more, which means that the scouring pad is very environment-friendly.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A scouring pad, comprising:

a mesh net including a plurality of biodegradable filaments; and

a plurality of biodegradable monofilaments overlapping the filaments, wherein a plurality of protrusions are formed in a region in which the filaments overlap the monofilaments.

2. The scouring pad of claim 1, wherein the filaments form a lattice-like backbone structure and a network structure in the backbone structure.

3. The scouring pad of claim 2, wherein the monofilaments form a twisted structure with the lattice-like backbone structure of the filaments.

4. The scouring pad of claim 3, wherein the protrusions are formed at crossing points in a lattice shape of the backbone structure.

5. The scouring pad of claim 1, wherein the protrusions are formed by the filaments and the monofilaments.

6. The scouring pad of claim 1, wherein the protrusions have a height of about 1 to about 3 mm.

7. The scouring pad of claim 1, wherein the filament is a multifiber including a plurality of threads, and the monofilament is a monofiber including a single thread.

8. The scouring pad of claim 1, wherein the monofilament has a mean diameter of about 20 to about 50 times that of the filament.

9. The scouring pad of claim 1, wherein the filament and the monofilament are formed of a material containing polylactic acid.

10. The scouring pad of claim 1, further comprising an edge sewing line disposed along an edge of the mesh net.

11. The scouring pad of claim 10, wherein the edge sewing line is formed with the biodegradable filament.

12. The scouring pad of claim 10, wherein the edge sewing line is formed with a material containing polylactic acid.