US 12157824 B1Patent grantUnited States

Date-Palm Biodegradable Protective Wear

Official patent title

Method for making biodegradable wearable film

Arabic title: طريقة تصنيع غشاء قابل للارتداء وقابل للتحلل الحيوي

Invention

Problem

Disposable wearable films such as gloves commonly use petroleum-derived, poorly degradable materials that create waste-management concerns. Conventional films may also trap moisture against the skin and can cause discomfort or sensitivity for some users.

Why it matters

Protective films are widely used in medical, personal, and industrial settings, often as disposable products. Increasing plant-derived content and creating a defined film-making route could offer an alternative materials platform if biodegradation, safety, and performance are validated.

Approach

The method converts date-palm stem pith into an acid-hydrolyzed cellulose-rich component, blends it with starch, cellulose, a synthetic polymer, plant hydrogels, glycerin, and Bougainvillea-derived dye, then adjusts pH, cures, and dries the mixture to form a wearable film or glove.

Who may benefit

Potential beneficiaries include glove and protective-apparel manufacturers, medical and personal-care film developers, biomaterials companies, and date-palm processors seeking higher-value uses for stem pith.

Potential value

The disclosure combines date-palm biomass, plant hydrogels, and plant-derived dye with a defined thermal process and reports mechanical, low-water-absorption, carbonate, and crack-test properties for a wearable-film formulation.

Background

Wearable films serve as protective barriers in gloves and other articles, but many are made from petroleum-derived polymers and discarded after one use. Their persistence creates waste concerns, while a tight, low-breathability fit can contribute to moisture and discomfort. The patent proposes a bio-derived material platform based on date-palm stem pith, cellulose, starch, plant hydrogels, glycerin, and a botanical dye. A synthetic polymer, including polyvinyl chloride in some embodiments, remains part of the formulation, so environmental claims require product-specific verification.

Technology overview

Palm stem pith is washed, blended, pressure-heated, and acid-treated at 30–60 °C. The treated material is mixed with starch, cellulose, a synthetic polymer, aloe-vera/okra/Acacia hydrogels, glycerin, and Bougainvillea dye; pH is adjusted to 6.5–8.5 before curing at 125–175 °C and drying at 60–100 °C. Claims cover a biodegradable glove and specify nanocellulose, tensile-property ranges, water absorption under ASTM D570, carbonate content, and crack testing under ASTM D5419.

Potential applications

Bio-derived disposable gloves and protective hand coverings.
Potential films for masks, gowns, and other protective apparel.
Finger cots, dental dams, and related barrier articles.
Film layers for wearable medical devices or personal-care products.
Value-added use of date-palm stem pith.

Evidence-supported advantages

Uses date-palm stem pith as a substantial plant-derived feedstock.
Combines cellulose, plant hydrogels, glycerin, and botanical dye in one film.
Provides defined pH, curing, drying, and composition ranges.
Reports tensile, water-absorption, carbonate, and crack-test properties.
Claims a biodegradable glove format, subject to biodegradation validation.

Development stage

Film fabrication and mechanical, water-absorption, and crack-test properties are described; biodegradation and commercialization were not independently established.

Commercial opportunity

The formulation may interest protective-wear, glove, biomaterials, and palm-residue valorization partners. Commercial development would require direct biodegradation and biocompatibility testing, barrier and durability validation, manufacturing scale-up, sterilization compatibility, and product-specific regulatory review. Performance must be benchmarked against established disposable-film materials.

Patent classifications

WIPO IPC

C08L97/02Compositions of macromolecular compounds
A41D19/00Outerwear; protective garments; accessories

CPC

A41D19/0055Outerwear; protective garments; accessories
C08J5/18Working-up; general compounding processes; after-treatment of macromolecular compounds
C08K5/0041Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
C08L97/02Compositions of macromolecular compounds
C09B61/00Organic dyes or closely related dye-producing compounds; mordants; lakes
A41D19/00Outerwear; protective garments; accessories
C08J2397/02Working-up; general compounding processes; after-treatment of macromolecular compounds
C08J2401/02Working-up; general compounding processes; after-treatment of macromolecular compounds
C08J2403/02Working-up; general compounding processes; after-treatment of macromolecular compounds
C08J2429/10Working-up; general compounding processes; after-treatment of macromolecular compounds
C08J2499/00Working-up; general compounding processes; after-treatment of macromolecular compounds
C08K2201/018Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
C08K5/053Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
C08L1/00Compositions of macromolecular compounds
C08L2201/06Compositions of macromolecular compounds
C08L2203/16Compositions of macromolecular compounds
C08L2205/035Compositions of macromolecular compounds
C08L2205/16Compositions of macromolecular compounds
C08L27/06Compositions of macromolecular compounds
C08L3/00Compositions of macromolecular compounds

Inventors

First inventorABM Sharif Hossain
InventorMohammed Saad Aleissa
InventorHassan Ahmed Rudayni
InventorNaif M. A. Alotaibi
InventorMohammed Ibrahim Alghonaim

Keywords

wearable film
biodegradable glove
date-palm pith
nanocellulose
plant hydrogel
Bougainvillea dye
protective apparel
bio-derived material

Patent document and drawings

The patent publication is mapped to this record. Patent drawings remain within that publication; no separately cleared public media package has been supplied.