Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes – Mechanical shaping or molding to form or reform shaped article – Shaping against forming surface
Patent
1996-12-24
1998-02-17
Acquah, Samuel A.
Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes
Mechanical shaping or molding to form or reform shaped article
Shaping against forming surface
264239, 264299, 26433111, 424409, 424497, 419 61, 419 63, 419 65, 419 66, C08J 500
Patent
active
057188653
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
THIS INVENTION relates to a mouldable composition and particularly to a mouldable alum composition.
BACKGROUND ART
Alum is an inorganic compound and generally contains two metals, two sulphate groups and water. A compound of this type is called a hydrated double salt. Alums are hydrated double salts that have similar compositions and similar crystalline structures.
Alums have a variety of uses. For instance, alums have been used in the dyeing industry, for water purification, for paper sizing, for fire-proofing fabrics, in fire extinguishers, and in medicinal and cosmetic fields.
It is the medicinal and cosmetic field where alums have particular interest. For instance, potassium alum has astringent properties, and is used in medicine to treat certain skin conditions, to reduce excessive perspiration, and to stop bleeding from small cuts. Dilute solutions (1-4%) have been used as mouth washes and gargles. Solutions of 5-10% are used to harden the skin, especially of the feet. Powdered forms of alum, or strong aqueous solutions of alum, are used as styptic for minor cuts and abrasions. Compositions containing talc and alum have been used as foot powders. Recent applications of alum containing solutions include bladder irrigations, and for the control of bladder haemorrhaging.
Commercially, the two most important alums are potassium alum and ammonium alum. Ammonium alum is manufactured by crystallisation from an aqueous solution of ammonium sulphate and aluminium sulphate. Ammonium alum crystals are also produced by treating a mixture of aluminium sulphate and sulphuric acid with ammonia.
Potassium alum occurs naturally in the minerals alunite and kalinite, but can also be artificially manufactured by treating aluminium oxide with sulphuric acid and potassium sulphate. Another method of production involves heating of alunite followed by treatment with sulphuric acid to obtain crystals of the alum.
It is known that alums, and especially potassium alum and ammonium alum, can be used as solid crystalline deodorants, especially for under-arm use.
For solid deodorant use, it is necessary to manufacture the alum into a stick-like shape having rounded corners and no sharp or abrasive edges or portions.
Currently, the only method available to make such an alum deodorant stick is by cutting and grinding raw alum lumps, which is labour-intensive and also places limitations on the shape and size of the products.
Currently, crystalline lumps of the alum (which can be naturally-occurring alunite, or kalinite, or artificially manufactured crystals), are cut into sections by mechanical cutting devices and then core-drilled to produce a solid cylinder of alum. The cylinder has flat top and bottom ends and a cylindrical side wall and is used as a deodorant stick.
The method of cutting and core drilling results in a large amount of waste product which can not be used as deodorant sticks. Also, the cylinder has a flat top wall which results in a fairly sharp edge between the top wall and the side wall. Some manufacturers further shape the stick by mechanically grinding the cylinder of alum to provide a rounded top portion which is then smoother to use.
Another disadvantage with the naturally-occurring or artificially made alums is that they have numerous cracks and fissures throughout them. This makes mechanical cutting and core drilling difficult and results in many accidental breakages with subsequent discarding of the product. Also, consumers generally do not like the cracks and fissures which detracts from the appearance of the deodorant stick. The cracks and fissures also reduce the strength of the deodorant stick making it susceptible to breakage if dropped or handled roughly, or during the packaging and transportation of the product to the retail outlets.
Attempts have made to shape alums into deodorant sicks or other shapes without requiring mechanical cutting, grinding or other shaping techniques. For instance, alum such as the dodecahydrate form of potassium alum has a melting point of 92.5.degree. C. However, it i
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