Process of making an article for dissolution upon use to deliver surfactants

Abstract

A process that results in a flexible dissolvable porous solid article that can be used as a personal care composition or a fabric care composition.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A personal care article in the form of a flexible dissolvable porous solid structure, comprising:
 a. from about 1% to about 75% surfactant;   b. from about 10% to about 50% water soluble polymer; and   c. optionally, from about 1% to about 25% plasticizer;   and wherein said article has a dry density of from about 0.10 g/cm 3  to about 0.40 g/cm 3 , in one embodiment from about 0.11 g/cm 3  to about 0.30 g/cm 3 , in another embodiment from about 0.12 g/cm 3  to about 0.25 g/cm 3 , and in another embodiment from about 0.13 g/cm 3  to about 0.20 g/cm 3 .   
     
     
         2 . The personal care article of  claim 1  wherein the article comprises a cellular interconnectivity defined by having a Star Volume of from about 1 mm 3  to about 90 mm 3 ; and a Structure Model Index that is non-negative and ranges from about 0.0 to about 3.0. 
     
     
         3 . The personal care article of  claim 1  wherein the article comprises a surface area of from about 0.03 m 2 /g to about 0.25 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         4 . The personal care article of  claim 1  wherein the article comprises a % open cells of from about 80% to about 100%. 
     
     
         5 . The personal care article of  claim 1  wherein the article comprises a cell wall thickness of from about 0.02 mm to about 0.15 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The personal care article of  claim 1  wherein the article comprises a distance to maximum force value of from about 6 mm to about 30 mm, preferably from about 7 mm to about 25 mm, more preferably from about 8 mm to about 20 mm, and even more preferably from about 9 mm to about 15 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The personal care article of  claim 1  wherein the article comprises basis weight of from about 125 grams/m 2  to about 3,000 grams/m 2 . 
     
     
         8 . The personal care article of  claim 1  that is lathering and comprises from about 23% to about 75% by weight of the article of an anionic surfactant. 
     
     
         9 . The personal care article of  claim 1  that is substantially non-lathering and comprises:
 i. from about 0% to about 10% of an ionic surfactant, 
 ii from about 1% to about 50% of a non-ionic surfactant or a polymeric surfactant, and 
 iii combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
         10 . The personal care article of  claim 9  wherein the nonionic surfactant is sorbitan esters and alkoxylated derivatives of sorbitan esters 
     
     
         11 . The personal care article of  claim 1  wherein the article comprises a one or more water-soluble polymers selected from the group comprising polyvinyl alcohols, polyvinylpyrrolidones, polyalkylene oxides, polyacrylates, caprolactams, polymethacrylates, polymethylmethacrylates, polyacrylamides, polymethylacrylamides, polydimethylacrylamides, polyethylene glycol monomethacrylates, polyurethanes, polycarboxylic acids, polyvinyl acetates, polyesters, polyamides, polyamines, polyethyleneimines, maleic/(acrylate or methacrylate) copolymers, copolymers of methylvinyl ether and of maleic anhydride, copolymers of vinyl acetate and crotonic acid, copolymers of vinylpyrrolidone and of vinyl acetate, copolymers of vinylpyrrolidone and of caprolactam, vinyl pyrollidone/vinyl acetate copolymers, copolymers of anionic, cationic and amphoteric monomers, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The personal care article of  claim 1  wherein the article comprises a plasticizer selected from the group comprising glycerol, propylene glycol, butylenes glycol, cyclohexane dimethanol and C 2 -C 8  alcohols, alkyl and allyl phthallates, napthalates and esters of C 2 -C 10  alcohols and acids, and mixtures thereof.