Corona-Core Microgel Emulsifier for Stable Oil-in-Water Textures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional oil-in-water Pickering emulsions face challenges in achieving stability and desirable texture due to aggregation and stickiness issues, particularly in cosmetics and perfumery applications, where temperature and stirring stability are crucial.
Innovation Solution
A corona-core microgel emulsifying agent is developed by polymerizing polyethylene oxide macromonomers, hydrophobic monomers, and cross-linking monomers under specific conditions, forming a copolymer that stabilizes the oil-in-water emulsion, reducing squeakiness and powdery sensations while maintaining emulsification stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional powder is adsorbed on the interface to form Pickering emulsion, then emulsion can be prepared without surfactant, but emulsion stability deteriorates during stirring and transportation due to particle aggregation and interface exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical and chemical parameters of the emulsifying agent by using corona-core microgel particles with specific structural characteristics (core-shell structure, hydrophilic corona, hydrophobic core) and controlled particle size (0.1-10 μm). This parameter optimization allows the particles to maintain stable adsorption on the oil-water interface even during stirring and transportation, resolving the contradiction between avoiding surfactant irritation and maintaining emulsion stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs composite microgel particles consisting of a hydrophobic core and a hydrophilic corona shell. This composite structure combines the advantages of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic components, enabling the particles to effectively stabilize oil-in-water emulsions without requiring traditional surfactants, thus achieving both low irritation and high stability.
2Reliability
If amphiphilic substance is added to form liquid crystal structure for stabilization, then emulsion stability improves, but product texture deteriorates due to stickiness
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the problematic amphiphilic substances that cause stickiness while retaining the essential emulsion stabilization function. By using corona-core microgel particles instead, the system achieves stable emulsification without the unwanted sticky texture, effectively separating the stabilization function from the harmful textural effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces long-chain amphiphilic substances that form persistent liquid crystal structures with shorter-lived, more easily removable microgel particles. These particles provide temporary but sufficient stabilization during storage and application, then dissipate without causing persistent stickiness, improving overall product texture.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If inorganic powder is used as emulsifying agent in Pickering emulsion, then surfactant-free emulsion is achieved, but texture deteriorates due to squeakiness and powdery sensation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameters from traditional inorganic powders to corona-core microgel particles with optimized size (0.1-10 μm) and surface properties. This parameter modification eliminates the squeakiness and powdery sensation associated with conventional inorganic powders while maintaining the surfactant-free advantage, achieving both low irritation and pleasant texture.
Solution Approach 2:
The corona-core microgel particles possess a flexible corona shell that can adapt to the oil-water interface, providing smooth and uniform coverage. This flexible structure prevents the rigid, squeaky sensation associated with traditional inorganic powders, delivering a softer, more pleasant texture during product application.
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 corona-core microgel emulsifying agent provides superior emulsification stability, texture, and reduced skin irritation, allowing for a stable and durable fragrance in oil-in-water emulsified compositions, even with high oil phase content, and maintains stability over time.
Implementation Method 1
An emulsion prepared by adsorbing powder to the interface, without using a surfactant, is conventionally known as Pickering emulsion
Implementation Method 2
An emulsifying agent has an amphiphilic molecular structure, which is composed of a polar (hydrophilic) molecular part and a nonpolar (hydrophobic) molecular part, which are spatially separated from each other
Implementation Method 3
a corona-core microgel emulsifying agent which is composed of a copolymer characteristically obtained by polymerizing polyethylene oxide macromonomers of the following formula (1), hydrophobic monomers of the following formula (2), and cross-linking monomers of the following formula (3)
Implementation Method 4
cross-linking monomers of the following formula (3)... (B) The feed amount of said cross-linking monomers is 0.1-1.5 wt% relative to the feed amount of said hydrophobic monomers
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A corona-core microgel emulsifying agent composed of a copolymer obtained by polymerizing polyethylene oxide macromonomers, hydrophobic monomers, and cross-linking monomers under specific conditions as well as an oil-in-water emulsified composition characteristically using said emulsifying agent for emulsification. The object of the present invention is to provide a new corona-core microgel emulsifying agent to be used to prepare an oil-in-water emulsified composition that manifests superior emulsification stability, stability over time, and low skin irritation, and is free of stickiness at the time of application, manifests dewy freshness, is free of powdery sensation and/or squeakiness, and is superior in durability of fragrance, as well as an oil-in-water emulsified composition emulsified with said emulsifying agent.