Low-pH Clear Cleansing Composition Using Acrylic Copolymer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing skin cleansing compositions face challenges in achieving low irritation, high clarity, and desirable foam properties while maintaining a pH compatible with skin and eyes, as synthetic surfactants tend to be irritating and polymeric thickeners often require higher pH for clarity and stability.
Innovation Solution
A skin cleansing composition comprising a low molecular weight, non-crosslinked acrylic copolymer and a surfactant component with a combination of non-ethoxylated anionic and amphoteric surfactants, maintaining a pH between 4.8 and 6.2, which results in a clear and low-irritation formulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If synthetic surfactant detergents are used to achieve high foaming and cleansing properties, then foaming and cleansing performance is improved, but skin and eye irritation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the surfactant system by using specific anionic surfactants (sodium laureth sulfate, sodium trideceth sulfate) in controlled concentrations (0.5-10% and 0.1-5% respectively) combined with amphoteric surfactants, achieving high foaming and cleansing performance while maintaining low irritation through optimized compositional parameters
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite surfactant system combining multiple types of surfactants (anionic and amphoteric) that work synergistically to provide high cleansing and foaming performance while reducing individual surfactant irritation, achieving a balanced formulation that satisfies multiple conflicting requirements
2Stability of the object's composition
If polymeric thickeners are added to improve composition stability and viscosity, then composition stability is improved, but composition clarity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the molecular weight parameter of the polymeric thickener, using low molecular weight acrylic polymers (10,000-100,000 Daltons) that provide sufficient thickening and stability while maintaining composition clarity, demonstrating that parameter optimization can resolve the stability-clarity trade-off
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies polymeric thickeners at specific localized concentrations (0.01-5%) and uses specific polymer types with particular molecular weights to achieve thickening only where needed for stability, while maintaining overall composition clarity through controlled local polymer distribution and concentration
3Illumination intensity
If polymeric thickeners are used to maintain composition clarity at low pH, then composition clarity is improved, but pH adjustment becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent selects polymeric thickeners with specific molecular weight parameters (low molecular weight range of 10,000-100,000 Daltons) that maintain composition clarity across a broader pH range including lower pH values, reducing the difficulty of pH adjustment and formulation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composition achieves high clarity and low irritation, suitable for sensitive skin, including baby and infant skin, while maintaining effective cleansing properties and pH compatibility.
Implementation Method 1
a low molecular weight acrylic copolymer and a surfactant component comprising at least one anionic surfactant and at least one amphoteric surfactant
Data Source
AI summary
The methods and compositions of this invention relate to compositions having low irritation characteristics in combination with one or more additional characteristics, for example, relatively high clarity, relatively high foaming, and/or combinations thereof, as well as methods of making and using such compositions. These compositions have low pH values and are useful in cleansing the skin.