Dye-Free Nail Varnish Structural Color via Photonic Self-Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional nail varnishes rely on dyes or pigments to produce color, which limits their ability to create structural colors under white light and may not be suitable for all nail surfaces.

Innovation Solution

A dye-free nail varnish composition incorporating photonic particles and/or block copolymers, combined with a stamp featuring a pattern of repeating photonic nanostructures, which self-assemble to produce structural colors when applied to a nail surface, either through direct application or transfer from a stamp.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If dyes or pigments are used to produce color in nail varnishes, then color intensity is improved, but the ability to create structural colors under white light deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor intensityVSAvoidability to create structural colors

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes dyes and pigments from the nail varnish composition, extracting the coloring agents that prevent structural color formation. This allows the nail varnish to create colors through photonic nanostructures rather than chemical dyes, resolving the contradiction between color intensity and structural color capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces chemical coloring mechanisms (dyes and pigments) with physical optical mechanisms (photonic nanostructures that diffract and interfere with light). This substitution enables structural color formation through nanoscale structural arrangements rather than chemical absorption, allowing both color intensity and structural color versatility to be achieved

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional dye-based nail varnishes are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but suitability for all nail surfaces deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidsuitability for all nail surfaces

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the fundamental parameters of the nail varnish composition by removing chromophores (dyes/pigments) and incorporating photonic particles or block copolymers that self-assemble into nanostructures. This parameter change makes the varnish suitable for all nail surfaces including translucent nails, while maintaining manufacturability through established coating processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If photonic particles and block copolymers are incorporated to create structural colors, then versatility for different nail surfaces is improved, but device complexity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesuitability for all nail surfacesVSAvoidcomposition complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention employs block copolymers that self-assemble into photonic nanostructures through spontaneous self-organization during film formation. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for complex external structuring processes, allowing structural color formation while maintaining relatively simple manufacturing procedures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses composite materials combining photonic particles or block copolymers with nail varnish resins and solvents. These composites integrate the color-generating photonic structures within the familiar nail varnish matrix, maintaining ease of application while achieving enhanced versatility across different nail surface types

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

The solution enables the creation of structural colors on nail surfaces without the use of dyes or pigments, providing a durable and visually appealing effect that changes with the angle of incidence, using self-assembling photonic particles and nanostructures.

Implementation Method 1

a periodic light-diffractive repeating pattern configured to produce a structural color under incident white light

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDiffraction: Diffraction

Implementation Method 2

photonic particles and/or block copolymers that can self-assemble to provide a structurally colored coating

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSelf-assembly: Self-Assembly

Implementation Method 3

applying a stamp including a pattern of repeating photonic nanostructures to the coating of nail varnish composition to transfer the pattern of repeating photonic nanostructures to the coating of the nail varnish composition

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTransfer printing:

Data Source

PatentUS10362850B2Dye-free nail varnish compositions and methods thereof

Publication Date: 2019.07.30 LOREAL SA

AI summary

A dye-free nail varnish that is used alone or with a stamp to generate a colored coating under incident white light is presented. The nail varnish includes photonic particles and/or block copolymers that can self-assemble to provide a structurally colored coating. The stamp presents a pattern of repeating nanostructures that can be transferred by imprinting the stamp on a coating of a dye-free nail varnish, thereby providing a structurally colored nail varnish coating. Thus, the nail varnish and stamp, independently or together, provide structurally colored coatings without the use of dyes or pigments.