Cationic Copolymer Surfactant Coacervate for Hair Conditioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing personal care compositions often fail to effectively deposit conditioning agents onto hair or skin due to limitations in anionic surfactant levels, leading to reduced conditioning benefits and increased raw material costs, while also compromising lather performance.

Innovation Solution

The use of synthetic random copolymers with specific nonionic and cationic monomer units, combined with an optimized anionic surfactant system, enhances conditioning agent deposition and lather formation by maximizing coacervate formation upon dilution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If higher levels of anionic surfactant are used to improve lather performance, then lather quality is enhanced, but deposition of conditioning agents onto hair or skin is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanionic surfactant levelVSAvoidconditioning agent deposition

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a cationic polymer as an intermediary substance that mediates between the anionic surfactant and conditioning agents. The cationic polymer forms coacervate with the anionic surfactant, creating a complex that enhances conditioning agent deposition onto hair or skin even at higher anionic surfactant levels, thus resolving the contradiction between lather quality and conditioning deposition

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite system consisting of anionic surfactant, cationic polymer, and conditioning agents working together. The coacervate formation between anionic surfactant and cationic polymer creates a composite structure that simultaneously provides good lather performance and enhanced conditioning agent deposition, allowing both functions to be achieved together

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If lower levels of anionic surfactant are used to improve conditioning agent deposition, then deposition performance is enhanced, but lather performance is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconditioning agent depositionVSAvoidanionic surfactant level

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The cationic polymer acts as an intermediary that allows conditioning agents to be effectively deposited even when anionic surfactant levels are reduced. The coacervate complex formed between the cationic polymer and anionic surfactant enhances the deposition mechanism, enabling good conditioning performance at lower surfactant concentrations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If higher levels of conditioning agents are used to compensate for poor deposition, then conditioning performance is maintained, but raw material costs increase and lathering is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconditioning performanceVSAvoidconditioning agent level

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the key parameter from conditioning agent concentration to coacervate formation efficiency. By optimizing the cationic polymer structure and its interaction with anionic surfactant to maximize coacervate formation, the system achieves enhanced conditioning agent deposition at lower conditioning agent levels, improving both cost-effectiveness and lather performance while maintaining conditioning benefits

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Reliability

If limited levels of sulfate in anionic surfactant are used to encourage coacervate formation, then coacervate formation is improved, but lather volume is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoacervate formationVSAvoidlather volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite surfactant system combining anionic surfactant with cationic polymer to form coacervate. This composite approach allows the system to achieve both good coacervate formation (for conditioning deposition) and adequate lather volume by leveraging the synergistic interaction between the two components rather than relying on sulfate level adjustments alone

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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

This approach improves hair and skin conditioning performance without additional conditioning actives, while maintaining or enhancing lather quality, thus optimizing the balance between conditioning benefits and cost-effectiveness.

Implementation Method 1

coacervate formation upon dilution

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCoacervate formation: Coacervate

Data Source

PatentUS9427391B2Personal care compositions containing cationic synthetic copolymer and a detersive surfactant

Publication Date: 2016.08.30 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO

AI summary

The present invention relates to a personal care composition with a synthetic random copolymer having a net positive charge, a detersive surfactant; and an aqueous carrier.