【発明の詳細な説明】[Detailed description of the invention]
［産業上の利用分野］
この発明はペツト用排泄物処理材において特に
パルプ系排泄物処理材の改良に関する。
［従来の技術］
従来、いわゆる猫砂と称されるペツト用排泄物
処理材として、ベントナイト、ゼオライト及びパ
ルプ系の粒状物が使用されてきた。
［発明が解決しようとする課題］
しかしながらベントナイト、ゼオライトの処理
材は、輸送、使用中に崩壊して粉化し易いほか、
尿吸収時には表面がべとつき、膨潤変形するため
簡便に取出し廃棄し難く、また必要以上に大きな
塊となることから水洗トイレでの後処理も困難で
あつた。さらに猫等が食べても無害であるとは決
していいがたいことから安全衛生面でも問題があ
つた。またパルプ系粒状物の排泄物処理材は、後
処理及び安全衛生面で好ましいが、輸送、使用時
に変形、粉化し易く、また尿吸収時に粒状物同士
で結合し難いことから、取出し廃棄し易い程度に
ブロツク化し難い点で問題があり、尿吸収部分を
取り出し廃棄処理し難かつた。
そこでこの発明の目的は、吸水性を有し、尿吸
収部分を取り出し廃棄処理し易い程度にブロツク
化し、水洗トイレに流すことができて後処理が容
易で、安全衛生面が良好で、輸送、使用時に崩
壊、紛化しないペツト用排泄物処理材を提供する
ところにある。
［課題を解決するための手段］
この発明はパレプ系粒状物の表面に、置換度
DSが0.4〜1.4、望ましくは0.6〜1.0、重合度Ｎが
30以上であるCMC（カルボキシメチルセルロー
ス）を被覆したことを特徴とするペツト用排泄物
処理材である。
これはパルプ系粒状物の表面にCMCを被覆形
成することにより、パルプ系粒状物が吸水性を有
し、後処理及び安全衛生面で良好であるととも
に、加えてCMCが水の存在下で接着性を発揮す
ることに着目し、パルプ系粒状物の表面に、この
CMCを被覆形成することによつて、パルプ系粒
状物に尿吸収を行わしめ、同時に尿吸収部分の粒
状物相互を表面上において接着させてブロツク化
させ、取り出し廃棄処理し易いようにしたもので
ある。
しかしながらパルプ系粒状物の表面に被覆する
CMCは、どのようなものでも良いというもので
はないことが認められた。すなわちこの発明で使
用するCMCはまずパルプ系粒状物の表面に接着
しなければならないこと、水存在下でも溶解され
ずパルプ系粒状物の表面への接着状態は維持され
ること、糞尿の存在下で始めて粒状物同士の接着
が成されること、パルプ系粒状物の尿吸収を阻害
しないこと等が要求される。そこで鋭意検討の結
果、置換度DSは0.4〜1.4の範囲がこの種用途に好
適であることが判明した。つまり0.4より少ない
と、接着力が劣り、尿吸収部分を取り出し廃棄処
理し易い程度にブロツク化しない。またさらに重
要なことは紛化率が大きくなるのでパルプ系粒状
物表面との接合関係においてその表面に被覆され
たCMCが脱落飛散し易くなる傾向が生じる。他
方置換度DSが1.4を越えた場合は、今度はCMC自
体の吸湿性が増大することから空気中の水分量如
何により使用前において粒子同士が接着、ブロツ
ク化し、取扱い上問題となるばかりでなく、吸水
面積、吸水能が減少し、また猫砂としての性状が
安定確保できない。従つてペツト用排泄物処理材
としては、CMCの置換度DS0.4〜1.4が同処理材
の好ましい性質が保持できる固有の範囲であり、
特に置換度DS0.6〜1.0が最適である。
重合度Ｎについては少なくとも30は必要であ
る。重合度Ｎが30より少ないと、吸湿によるブロ
ツク化を起こさない。
パルプ系粒状物としては、例えば粉砕パルプに
水を加え、所定の粒形状に成形して脱水させたも
のが使用できるが、特に限定されない。例えばポ
リビニルアルコール等の吸水性樹脂含有の粉砕パ
ルプを使用して成形すればさらに好ましい。
製造方法としては特に限定されないが、例えば
粉砕パルプに粒状成形用の水を加え、良く混合
し、これを成型装置を用いて粒状押出し成型し、
しかる後この粒状成型物にCMCをその粒状成型
物の見合う量に応じてまぶし、80〜100℃にて乾
燥する方法が採用できる。
CMCの被覆量については成型した粒状物の乾
燥固形分に対して重量にして15％程度が好適であ
るが、特に限定されない。また成型の際における
水量については、使用するパルプの吸水性の程度
にもよるが、粒状成型前の混合がし易くかつ成型
時に水が絞り出され、CMCの被覆が困難となら
ない程度の範囲が好ましい。
粒状物の粒径については１〜７mm程度が好まし
い。特に５〜７mmがCMCの被覆との関係及び猫
砂としての使用状態等において好ましいものであ
る。
なお必要に応じて、尿によつて湿潤し変色する
性質を持つ塩化コバルト等のPH指示薬などを混入
すれば、使用済み部分を判定できるので好まし
い。また消臭剤、あるいは殺菌剤を混入すれば、
尿の腐敗等も防ぎ得るので防臭効果の面で良好で
あるが、特に消臭性繊維が好適である。消臭性繊
維としては、酸化還元能を有する金属ポリフイリ
ン、金属ポリフイラジン等の金属錯体を１重量％
以上担持せしめた繊維、又は当該繊維と水酸化
銅、酢酸銅、硫化銅等の銅酸化物の銅イオンを１
重量％以上担持せしめた繊維との混合繊維が好適
である。金属錯体或は銅イオンを担持させる繊維
としては、再生セルロース繊維、吸湿性合成繊
維、多孔質繊維があるが、特に１次膨潤度が150
〜300％の再生セルロース繊維が望ましい。なお
吸水性ポリマーを混合したパルプを使用する場合
は、この種の消臭性繊維に限らず繊維質を混入す
ることは粒状物の押出し成型の際の作業性が向上
する点で好ましい。
［作用］
この発明はパルプ系粒状物の表面に、一定の置
換度及び重合度のCMCを被覆したペツト用排泄
物処理材なので、吸水性を有し、また尿吸収部分
を取り出し廃棄処理し易い程度にブロツク化で
き、水洗トイレに流すことができることから後処
理が極めて容易で、パルプ系粒状物が主体である
と共にさらにCMC自体も無害であるため安全衛
生面が良好で、特に一定の置換度及び重合度の
CMCを採用していることから輸送、使用時に崩
壊、紛化しない。
［実施例］
粉砕故紙として上白A30重量部及び茶紙20重量
部に、成型用の水175重量％を混合し、続いて吸
水性樹脂含有の廃パルプ50重量部を加えてよく混
合した。続いてこの混合物を、２mm径のプレート
を使用した手動式ミンチ成型機にて押出し成型
し、約4.8mm径の粒状物を造粒した。次に第１表
に掲げる所定の置換度及び重合度を有するCMC
を、粒状物の固形分当り約15重量％の付着量で外
割でまぶし、これを80〜100℃の温度条件で乾燥
した。
得られた粒状の排泄物処理材について、実際に
使用した結果、吸水性が認められた。
得られた粒状の排泄物処理材についてブロツク
化、粉化及び吸湿性について試験した。その結果
を第１表に示す。
[Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to pet excrement disposal materials, particularly to improvements in pulp-based excrement disposal materials. [Prior Art] Bentonite, zeolite, and pulp-based granular materials have heretofore been used as pet excrement disposal materials called cat litter. [Problems to be solved by the invention] However, treated bentonite and zeolite materials tend to disintegrate and turn into powder during transportation and use.
When urine is absorbed, the surface becomes sticky and swells and deforms, making it difficult to easily remove and dispose of it.Also, it is difficult to dispose of it in a flush toilet because it forms larger clumps than necessary. Furthermore, it was difficult to say that it was harmless even if cats and other animals ingested it, so there were problems in terms of safety and health. In addition, pulp-based granular excrement treatment materials are preferable in terms of post-processing and safety and hygiene, but they are easily deformed and powdered during transportation and use, and granular materials are difficult to combine with each other when urine is absorbed, so they are easy to remove and dispose of. There was a problem in that it was difficult to block the urine to a certain extent, making it difficult to remove and dispose of the urine-absorbing portion. Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to create a block that has water absorption properties and is easy to take out and dispose of the urine-absorbing part, which can be flushed into a flush toilet, which makes post-processing easy, which has good safety and hygiene aspects, and which is easy to transport and dispose of. The purpose is to provide a pet excrement disposal material that does not disintegrate or disintegrate during use. [Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides a method to improve the degree of substitution on the surface of parepy-based granules.
DS is 0.4 to 1.4, preferably 0.6 to 1.0, and degree of polymerization N is
This is a pet excrement disposal material characterized by being coated with CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose) of 30 or more. By coating the surface of pulp-based granules with CMC, the pulp-based granules have water absorption properties, which is good in terms of post-processing and safety and hygiene.In addition, CMC adheres in the presence of water. Focusing on its ability to exhibit properties, this material is applied to the surface of pulp-based granules.
By forming a coating with CMC, the pulp-based granules absorb urine, and at the same time, the granules in the urine-absorbing portion adhere to each other on the surface and form a block, making it easy to remove and dispose of. be. However, it coats the surface of pulp-based granules.
It was recognized that CMC is not just any good. In other words, the CMC used in this invention must first adhere to the surface of the pulp-based granules; it must not dissolve even in the presence of water and maintain its adhesion to the surface of the pulp-based granules; and it must adhere to the surface of the pulp-based granules in the presence of excrement. It is required that the adhesion between the granules is achieved only after the granules are removed, and that the pulp-based granules do not inhibit urine absorption. As a result of intensive studies, it was found that a degree of substitution DS in the range of 0.4 to 1.4 is suitable for this type of use. In other words, if it is less than 0.4, the adhesive force will be poor and the urine-absorbing portion will not be blocked to the extent that it can be easily removed and disposed of. What is more important is that as the atomization rate increases, the CMC coated on the surface of the pulp-based granules tends to fall off and scatter when bonded to the surface of the pulp-based granules. On the other hand, if the degree of substitution DS exceeds 1.4, the hygroscopicity of CMC itself increases, and depending on the amount of moisture in the air, the particles may adhere to each other and form blocks before use, which not only poses problems in handling. , the water absorption area and water absorption capacity are reduced, and the properties as cat litter cannot be stably maintained. Therefore, as a pet excrement treatment material, a CMC substitution degree of DS of 0.4 to 1.4 is a specific range in which the treatment material can maintain its desirable properties.
In particular, a degree of substitution DS of 0.6 to 1.0 is optimal. The degree of polymerization N is required to be at least 30. When the degree of polymerization N is less than 30, blocking due to moisture absorption does not occur. As the pulp-based granules, for example, pulverized pulp with water added thereto, molded into a predetermined granule shape, and dehydrated can be used, but is not particularly limited. For example, it is more preferable to mold using pulverized pulp containing a water-absorbing resin such as polyvinyl alcohol. The manufacturing method is not particularly limited, but for example, water for granulation molding is added to the pulverized pulp, mixed well, and this is extruded into granules using a molding device,
After that, a method can be adopted in which the granular molded product is sprinkled with CMC in an amount corresponding to the granular molded product and dried at 80 to 100°C. The amount of CMC coated is preferably about 15% by weight based on the dry solid content of the molded granules, but is not particularly limited. Regarding the amount of water during molding, it depends on the degree of water absorption of the pulp used, but it should be within a range that allows easy mixing before molding into granules and does not cause water to be squeezed out during molding and make coating with CMC difficult. preferable. The particle size of the granules is preferably about 1 to 7 mm. In particular, a thickness of 5 to 7 mm is preferable in terms of the relationship with the CMC coating and the state of use as cat litter. If necessary, it is preferable to mix in a pH indicator such as cobalt chloride, which has the property of becoming wet with urine and changing color, since this makes it possible to determine the used portion. Also, if you mix deodorant or disinfectant,
Since it can also prevent the putrefaction of urine, it has a good deodorizing effect, and deodorizing fibers are particularly suitable. The deodorant fiber contains 1% by weight of metal complexes such as metal polyphylline and metal polyphyllazine that have redox ability.
Copper ions of copper oxide such as copper hydroxide, copper acetate, copper sulfide, etc.
Mixed fibers with fibers carrying at least % by weight are suitable. Fibers that support metal complexes or copper ions include regenerated cellulose fibers, hygroscopic synthetic fibers, and porous fibers, but especially fibers with a primary swelling degree of 150
~300% regenerated cellulose fiber is preferred. Note that when using pulp mixed with a water-absorbing polymer, it is preferable to mix fibers other than this type of deodorizing fiber from the viewpoint of improving workability during extrusion molding of granules. [Function] This invention is a pet excrement disposal material in which the surface of pulp-based granules is coated with CMC with a certain degree of substitution and degree of polymerization, so it has water absorption properties and the urine-absorbing portion can be easily removed and disposed of. It is extremely easy to post-process as it can be blocked to a certain degree and flushed down the flush toilet, and since CMC is mainly composed of pulp-based granules and CMC itself is harmless, it has good health and safety aspects. and degree of polymerization
Since it uses CMC, it will not collapse or get lost during transportation or use. [Example] 175% by weight of water for molding was mixed with 30 parts by weight of Jojiro A and 20 parts by weight of brown paper as pulverized waste paper, and then 50 parts by weight of waste pulp containing a water absorbent resin was added and mixed well. Subsequently, this mixture was extrusion molded using a manual mincing molding machine using a plate with a diameter of 2 mm, and granules with a diameter of about 4.8 mm were granulated. Next, CMC having the prescribed degree of substitution and degree of polymerization listed in Table 1
was applied in an amount of about 15% by weight based on the solid content of the granules, and this was dried at a temperature of 80 to 100°C. When the obtained granular excrement treatment material was actually used, it was found to have water absorption properties. The resulting granular excrement treatment material was tested for blocking, powdering, and hygroscopicity. The results are shown in Table 1.
【表】
上記表から所定の置換度及び重合度を有する
CMCを被覆したパルプ系粒状物質については良
好な値が得られることが認められた。
［発明の効果］
以上の通りこの発明は、吸水性を有し、尿吸収
部分を取り出し廃棄処理し易い程度にブロツク化
し、水洗トイレに流すことができて後処理が容易
であり、さらに安全衛生面が良好で、しかも輸
送、使用時に崩壊、紛化しない格別顕著な効果を
奏し、当該技術分野に資するところ極めて大き
い。[Table] From the table above, it has the specified degree of substitution and degree of polymerization.
It was observed that good values were obtained for pulp-based granular materials coated with CMC. [Effects of the Invention] As described above, the present invention has water absorption properties, the urine-absorbing part is removed and made into a block to the extent that it can be easily disposed of, and it can be flushed into a flush toilet, making post-processing easy, and further improves safety and hygiene. It has a good surface and has a particularly remarkable effect of not collapsing or becoming a mess during transportation or use, making it an extremely useful contribution to the technical field.