Understanding Encapsulation Function
Encapsulation 101: Education for You & Your Client
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Detergent molecules in water will form
micelles that rapidly emulsify oily phase soils
and suspend the often times oil covered particulate soils in the cleaning solution. You can
read more about micelles further down in this
article.This chemistry is designed to lower the
surface tension of the water rapidly and efficiently so that the cleaning phase happens
faster. Once the soils are emulsified and suspended they can easy be removed using an
absorbent pad and or left in place to be removed by future routine vacuuming.
As the polymer’s residual chemistry dries,
the suspended and emulsified soils along with
the detergent molecules become locked inside
of our unique polymeric structure. Think of
the shell on an M & M. The action of the
chemistry plus the scrubbing of the pad and
or bonnet breaks the soils in sometimessmaller particles and separates the soils or
foreign substances from the fiber giving you
by John Klucznik
the instant clean look while suspending them
in our encapsulating polymer. Once the detergent along with the soils are locked in our
polymeric structure the detergent molecules
“quit” cleaning, preventing rapid resoiling.
The polymeric structure is a relatively brittle film that will not allow the residual soils to
reattach to the fiber surface due to their hardness and low surface tension.This is what also
eliminates wicking in most situations. Some
polymers dry to a brittle film and others use a
more durable hard film that will not instantly
sheer or break off like other formulas. Others
may fall somewhere between crystal and film
forming polymers. All while allowing residual
soils and the polymeric encapsulant to be removed by routine vacuuming.
Encapsulating detergents initially ad- heres
to the carpet with the polymer, but under
stress or external forces such as vacuuming,
foot traffic, and or fiber flex- ing encapsulating