Mechanistic understanding and design of sustainable solid fabric enhancer

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The project will investigate the formulation and action of dryer sheet coatings thatis a major P&G business with sales in the region of $12 Billion Pa. Dryer sheetsboth assist the drying process and impart attractive texture and aromas to fabricsby transferring a formulated solid material from sheet to clothes within a tumbledryer.The governing relationship between formulation design and transfer efficiency isnot however well understood; better understanding would lead to less waste andmore efficient drying, saving both material and energy.Previous work between Birmingham and P&G studied drying both by measuringflows in working dryers [Drying Technology, 2021doi.org/10.1080/07373937.2021.1918706] and by studying the transfer process atmeso- and nano- scales, using AFM and micromanipulation probes, but wasconstrained to the current formulation to establish the basis of product action.The new project will capitalize on the established measurement capabilities,fundamental knowledge, and possible Mode of Actions to investigate therelationship between product formulation, product manufacturing processes, andtransfer efficiency between sheet and clothes. Different formulations will bestudied to better understand the role of each component in the mixture.The aim is to identify the relationship between manufacturing processes andproduct performance, leading for example to better understanding of how tocontrol product tackiness, adhesion, and transfer profile. The fundamentalengineering science that underpins product performance will be identified usingleading-edge interfacial equipment, including AFM, DVS, nanoidentation,micromanipulation, and hyperspectral SWIR imaging system.