LG Electronics is verifying the commercialization potential of a functional new material, mineral wash, that can replace surfactants in laundry detergent.
On the 26th, LG Electronics will sign a memorandum of understanding for a low-carbon mineral wash pilot project aimed at implementing water positivity with the National Water Industry Cluster and the Korean Water Forum at the Global Business Center in Daegu. Attendees at the signing ceremony will include Baek Seung-tae, head of LG Electronics' Kitchen Solutions Division (Vice President), Lee Je-won, Director General of the National Water Industry Cluster, and Kwak Gyeol-ho, President of the Korean Water Forum.
Water positivity refers to a corporation returning more water to nature than it consumes, thereby contributing to sustainable water management. Various activities include reducing water usage, reusing wastewater, and restoring rivers.
Under this MOU, LG Electronics, the National Water Industry Cluster, and the Korean Water Forum will measure the water and power consumption when washing with detergent containing mineral wash to validate the water usage reduction effect. They will also check the washing performance of the mineral wash compared to existing detergents. Additionally, they will analyze the contamination of the water produced after washing and the residual detergent on laundry to assess the human and environmental safety of mineral wash and confirm its technological capability and marketability both domestically and internationally.
The 'mineral wash' developed by LG Electronics is a water-soluble glass powder that releases mineral ions when it comes into contact with water, providing a washing effect. The mineral ions are alkaline and decompose contaminants such as oils, fats, and proteins in fabrics, while also making water molecules smaller so that they can penetrate between the fabric and dirt to separate them.
Using 'mineral wash' reduces the number of rinse cycles and decreases water and electricity usage. LG Electronics has commissioned the Korea Conformity Laboratories (KCL) to conduct tests, which concluded that 'mineral wash' is safe for humans and the environment.
LG Electronics expects that once the effectiveness of 'mineral wash' is verified through this MOU, business opportunities will expand in the laundry detergent raw material market for household and commercial use.
Glass powder can demonstrate special functions such as antibacterial, antifungal, and pollutant decomposition when a variety of components are combined, allowing for expansion into various industries. LG Electronics first applied functional glass powder to an oven launched in North America in 2013, which features an 'Easy Clean' function that simplifies the internal cleaning of the oven by coating the metal surfaces with functional glass powder.
Since then, LG Electronics has been broadening the application areas of glass powder through continuous research and development. Earlier this year, it decided to apply a glass powder called Puratex to salmon farms to verify its potential in the food processing industry, where hygiene is crucial. Last month, it also embarked on a marine ecosystem restoration pilot project using a glass powder named Marine Glass, which dissolves in water to supply nutrients to seaweeds and microalgae, assisting in the restoration of marine ecosystems and carbon reduction.
LG Electronics views the new material business as one of the new business-to-business (B2B) sectors and is strengthening its capabilities. To date, it has filed 420 patents related to glass powder and has set up a production facility with a capacity of 4,500 tons annually in Changwon, Gyeongnam.
Baek Seung-tae, head of LG Electronics' Kitchen Solutions Division (Vice President), noted, "We will continue to research functional new materials like glass powder to uncover new business opportunities."