Alkoxylated Alkyl Ether in Liquid Cleansing Compositions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid cleansing compositions face challenges in reducing stringiness, increasing foam volume, enhancing fragrance intensity, and improving oil solubilization while maintaining viscosity and skin moisturization, as existing formulations often become stringy, reduce foam with emollients, and struggle with oil incorporation without phase separation.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an alkoxylated alkyl ether with 5 to 20 alkoxy moieties and a C3 to C12 alkyl, such as PPG-14 butyl ether, into cleansing compositions to reduce stringiness, increase foam volume, enhance fragrance blooming, and improve oil solubilization, while maintaining viscosity and skin moisturization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If viscosity is increased to meet consumer desires, then the composition can be thickened, but the composition becomes stringy when dispensed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by introducing specific polymers (polyacrylamide, polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethyl cellulose) at controlled concentrations (0.01-5% wt) to modify the rheological properties of the composition, achieving increased viscosity without stringiness through optimized molecular structure and interaction
2Object-affected harmful factors
If emollients are added to moisturize skin, then skin moisturization is improved, but foam volume is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite formulation combining emollients (petrolatum, mineral oil, dimethicone) with specific surfactant systems (sodium lauryl sulfate, cocamidopropyl betaine, decyl glucoside) that work synergistically to maintain both skin moisturization and foam volume, where the surfactants compensate for the foam-reducing effect of emollients
3Illumination intensity
If more fragrance is used to increase fragrance intensity, then fragrance bloom is improved, but costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses fragrance encapsulation technology where fragrance molecules are embedded in micellar structures or microcapsules, allowing a smaller amount of actual fragrance material to be distributed and released more efficiently, achieving the same sensory impact with reduced fragrance dosage and cost
4Quantity of substance
If oil incorporation is increased to improve solubilization, then oil solubilization is enhanced, but phase separation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces nonionic surfactants (decyl glucoside, lauryl glucoside) and co-surfactants as intermediary agents between oil and water phases, forming stable micellar structures that solubilize oils (up to 10% wt) without phase separation by reducing interfacial tension and creating thermodynamically stable emulsions
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 alkoxylated alkyl ether effectively reduces stringiness, increases foam volume, enhances fragrance intensity, and improves oil solubilization without increasing opacity, while maintaining viscosity and providing skin moisturization, with optimal usage levels up to 0.5% by weight.
Implementation Method 1
the alkoxylated alkyl ether effectively reduces stringiness
Implementation Method 2
increases foam volume
Implementation Method 3
improves oil solubilization
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid cleansing composition comprising a cleansing effective amount of surfactant and an alkoxylated alkyl ether having 5 to 20 alkoxy moieties and a C3 to C12 alkyl. The alkoxylated alkyl ether can be PPG-14 butyl ether. The alkoxylated alkyl ether can reduce stringiness of the cleansing composition, increase fragrance bloom from the cleansing composition, increase oil solubilization, increase foam volume of the cleansing composition, or reduce dry skin.