Crosslinked Dextran Hair Conditioner for Silicone-Free Conditioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need for new hair conditioning agents that provide conditioning benefits with a higher natural origin index and are free from silicones, addressing concerns about the persistence and potential toxicity of silicone-based conditioning agents.

Innovation Solution

A hair conditioner formulation using a dextran polymer crosslinked with a dextran crosslinking agent, formulated with less than 0.01 wt% dermatologically acceptable oil and less than 0.1 wt% silicon-containing molecules, which enhances deposition of conditioning agents onto mammalian hair.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If silicone-based conditioning agents are used, then conditioning benefits are provided, but environmental persistence and potential toxicity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconditioning benefitsVSAvoidenvironmental persistence and toxicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates silicone-based conditioning agents from the formulation, replacing them with polyquaternium-10 and other non-silicone conditioning agents. This removal of harmful silicone components (particularly D4 and D5) resolves the environmental persistence and toxicity issues while maintaining conditioning benefits through alternative polymers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by specifying exact concentration ranges for alternative conditioning agents (polyquaternium-10 at 0.1-5.0 wt%, polyquaternium-7 at 0.1-5.0 wt%, polyaminopropylbiguanide at 0.1-5.0 wt%). This parameter optimization ensures effective conditioning performance without relying on harmful silicone-based agents.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If natural origin index is increased by removing silicones, then environmental safety improves, but conditioning efficacy may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental safetyVSAvoidconditioning efficacy

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a composite conditioning system using multiple non-silicone polymers (polyquaternium-10, polyquaternium-7, polyaminopropylbiguanide) in specific combinations. This composite approach compensates for the removal of silicones by creating synergistic effects among the alternative polymers, maintaining conditioning efficacy while improving environmental safety and natural origin index.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses polyquaternium-10 which serves multiple functions: it provides conditioning benefits, acts as a surfactant, and offers antimicrobial properties. This multi-functionality compensates for the removal of silicone-based agents, ensuring comprehensive conditioning performance without relying on harmful substances.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4312959B1Hair conditioner formulation

Publication Date: 2026.03.04 DOW GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

A hair conditioner formulation is provided, comprising: a dermatologically acceptable vehicle; and a conditioning polymer, wherein the conditioning polymer is a dextran polymer crosslinked with a dextran crosslinking agent of formula (I) wherein X is a halogen; wherein each R1 is independently selected from a substituted or unsubstituted C1-6 alkyl group; wherein each R2 is independently selected from the group consisting of a C1-6 alkanediyl group; wherein Y is a divalent bridging group.