Alkyl Ether Esters Stabilize Ionic Hair Conditioner Gel Matrix
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hair conditioning compositions with ionic agents often experience reduced viscosity and stability, leading to diminished wet conditioning benefits when forming a gel matrix with cationic surfactants and high melting point fatty compounds.
Innovation Solution
A hair conditioning composition comprising a cationic surfactant, a high melting point fatty compound, and an alkyl ether or ester of polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, or polyglycerin, along with water-soluble ionic benefit agents like salicylic acid or EDTA, which maintains stability and wet conditioning benefits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ionic agents are included in conditioner compositions at higher concentrations, then additional benefits and improved conditioning benefits are provided, but viscosity is significantly reduced causing reduced wet conditioning benefit and stability is reduced causing phase separation
Solution Approach 1:
A polymer emulsion is introduced as an intermediary component that mediates between the ionic agents and the gel matrix. The polymer emulsion stabilizes the gel matrix structure even in the presence of higher concentrations of ionic agents, preventing phase separation while allowing the ionic agents to provide their conditioning benefits. This intermediary component resolves the contradiction by enabling both high ionic agent concentration and gel matrix stability to coexist.
2Reliability
If ionic agents are included in conditioner compositions at higher concentrations, then additional benefits and improved conditioning benefits are provided, but viscosity is significantly reduced causing reduced wet conditioning benefit
Solution Approach 1:
The polymer emulsion acts as a viscosity-maintaining intermediary that compensates for the viscosity-reducing effect of ionic agents. By incorporating the polymer emulsion into the gel matrix, the composition maintains adequate viscosity for wet conditioning benefit while still allowing higher concentrations of ionic agents to provide enhanced conditioning benefits.
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 provides enhanced stability and wet conditioning benefits while incorporating ionic agents, preventing phase separation and maintaining the gel matrix's integrity.
Implementation Method 1
the cationic surfactant, the high melting point fatty compound, and the aqueous carrier form a gel matrix
Implementation Method 2
maintaining stability and preventing phase separation
Implementation Method 3
an ionic benefit agent, wherein the ionic benefit agents are those excluding ionic dyes, precursors thereof, and anionic surfactants
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a hair conditioning composition comprising: a cationic surfactant; a high melting point fatty compound; a preformed emulsion and/or an ionic benefit agent, wherein the ionic benefit agents are those excluding ionic dyes, precursors thereof, and anionic surfactants; an alkyl ether and/or alkyl ester, preferably alkyl ether, of at least one of the following: polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polyglycerin, and mixtures thereof, and wherein the alkyl ether and/or alkyl ester has from about 50 to about 300 units of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerin and mixtures thereof; and an aqueous carrier. The composition of the present invention provides benefits from ionic benefit agents and/or preformed emulsions, while maintaining stability and wet conditioning of the composition.