Oil-in-Water Emulsion Stabilization with Anionic and Sugar Surfactants
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Solution Overview
Problem
Oil-in-water emulsions with high solid emollient content are prone to phase separation due to the strong attraction between oil and fat components, leading to instability.
Innovation Solution
The use of a combination of anionic and sugar surfactants, with a weight ratio of 0.01≤A/B≤1, where A is the weight percentage of the anionic surfactant and B is the weight percentage of the sugar surfactant, to stabilize the emulsion by generating repulsive forces and forming a stable curvature in the emulsified particle interfacial layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a high content of solid emollient is used to improve moisturizing ability, then the moisturizing effect is enhanced, but the emulsion stability deteriorates and phase separation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a specific combination of anionic surfactant and sugar surfactant as intermediary substances to mediate between the solid emollient and water phases. The surfactants form a stable interfacial layer that prevents direct contact and aggregation between oil droplets, allowing high solid emollient content (10-50 wt%) to be maintained without phase separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite surfactant system combining anionic surfactant (0.1-5 wt%) and sugar surfactant (1-30 wt%) to create a synergistic effect. This composite approach provides both electrostatic repulsion (from anionic surfactant) and steric hindrance (from sugar surfactant), enabling stable emulsion formation with high solid emollient content that single surfactants cannot achieve.
2Ease of operation
If solid emollient is used to improve cosmetic feel and moisturizing, then the feeling of use is improved, but the emulsion becomes prone to flocculation and coalescence
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the concentration parameters of surfactants relative to solid emollient content. By maintaining sugar surfactant at 1-30 wt% and anionic surfactant at 0.1-5 wt% of total composition, the system achieves sufficient repulsive forces to prevent flocculation while preserving the moisturizing and sensory benefits of high solid emollient content.
3Device complexity
If conventional single surfactant is used to simplify formulation, then the formulation complexity is reduced, but the emulsion stability with high emollient content is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent defines specific concentration ranges for the dual surfactant system (anionic: 0.1-5 wt%, sugar: 1-30 wt%) that provide optimal stability. This parameter optimization ensures that while the formulation is slightly more complex than single-surfactant systems, the stability performance is dramatically improved, particularly for high solid emollient formulations.
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 combination maintains the stability of the oil-in-water emulsion even with high solid emollient content over time, preventing phase separation and ensuring a smooth, non-sticky cosmetic experience.
Implementation Method 1
the anionic surfactant and a sugar surfactant... generate repulsive forces
Implementation Method 2
forming a stable curvature in the emulsified particle interfacial layer
Implementation Method 3
using two kinds of surfactants which are an anionic surfactant and a sugar surfactant
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to: an oil-in-water emulsion composition having a viscosity of 1,500-50,000 cps, and comprising an anionic surfactant and a sugar surfactant so as to satisfy the following relational expression 1; and a cosmetic composition containing the same. [Relational expression 1] 0.01≤A/B≤1 (In relational expression 1, A is the wt % of the anionic surfactant, and B is the wt % of the sugar surfactant, wherein the wt % of each ingredient is based on the total weight of the composition, and B is 1-30 wt %.)