Cyclic Sugar Amides for Sustainable Surfactant Formulations

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need for sustainable and environmentally friendly surfactants and antimicrobial agents for cosmetic and household applications that are derived from natural and renewable sources, offering good performance, formulatability, and formulation flexibility, while reducing reliance on crude oil-derived ingredients.

Innovation Solution

Cyclic sugar amides and mixtures thereof, derived from naturally occurring sugars and fatty acids, exhibit good antimicrobial properties and are formulated into compounds and blends that can be used as surfactants, emulsifiers, and preservatives, showcasing high renewable carbon index and stability across a wide pH range.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If crude oil-derived ingredients are used, then good performance and stability are achieved, but environmental sustainability and renewability are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperformance and stabilityVSAvoidenvironmental sustainability and renewability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the source material parameter from crude oil to naturally occurring sugars and fatty acids, maintaining performance while improving sustainability. The cyclic sugar amides are synthesized from renewable resources (sugars like glucose, xylose, arabinose, galactose, or mannose and fatty acids from natural oils), achieving both good performance and environmental friendliness simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If natural and renewable ingredients are used, then environmental sustainability is improved, but performance and stability may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental sustainabilityVSAvoidperformance and stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates composite molecular structures by combining sugar backbones with fatty acid chains through amide bonds, forming cyclic sugar amides that exhibit both renewable origin and surfactant performance. The specific structural configuration (cyclic structure with N-alkyl and N-acyl groups) ensures good performance while maintaining natural derivation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Duration of action of stationary object

If preservation is enhanced to extend shelf life, then consumer value is improved, but the risk of microbe distribution increases if ineffective

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshelf lifeVSAvoidmicrobe distribution

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cyclic sugar amides provide self-service antimicrobial protection to formulations, extending shelf life while preventing microbe distribution. The molecules inherently possess preservative and antimicrobial properties that actively protect the product and prevent microbial contamination without requiring additional separate preservative systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20240409523A1Sugar amides and mixtures thereof

Publication Date: 2024.12.12 CLARIANT INT LTD

AI summary

The invention relates to sugar amides and mixtures thereof as well as their use in cosmetic or household applications and oil or mining applications.