Ester Mixture Replaces Silicones in Personal Care
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Solution Overview
Problem
The personal care industry faces challenges in finding alternatives to silicone fluids that provide similar benefits without the health and environmental risks associated with silicones, as well as the need for 'natural' ingredients derived from renewable and sustainable sources.
Innovation Solution
A mixture of polymeric and non-polymeric esters, derived from esterification reactions of natural dicarboxylic acids and monofunctional alcohols, is used as a silicone replacement in personal care formulations, offering equivalent tactile and end-use characteristics such as spreading rate, skin feel, and hair shine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If silicone fluids are used in personal care formulations, then skin feel and formulation benefits are improved, but health and environmental risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes silicone fluids from personal care formulations entirely, extracting the harmful substance while seeking alternative ingredients that can provide similar functional benefits without the associated health and environmental risks
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter by substituting silicone fluids with natural alternative ingredients, thereby maintaining desired skin feel properties while eliminating the harmful effects associated with silicone use
2Object-affected harmful factors
If natural ingredients are used to replace silicones, then health and environmental safety are improved, but performance equivalence may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts formulation parameters by combining multiple natural ingredients in specific proportions and concentrations to achieve performance equivalence with silicone-containing formulations while maintaining safety benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite natural ingredient systems rather than single substitutes, combining plant-derived oils, butters, and waxes to collectively provide the multifunctional performance previously achieved by silicone fluids
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 ester mixture provides personal care formulations with similar aesthetic and tactile properties to those containing silicones, while being substantially free of silicones and derived from renewable sources, thus addressing safety and environmental concerns.
Implementation Method 1
The polymeric ester is an esterification reaction product of (i) at least one first dicarboxylic acid, (ii) at least one first monofunctional alcohol or monofunctional carboxylic acid and (iii) glycerin or derivatives thereof
Data Source
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AI summary
Described herein is a silicone replacement for use in a personal care formulation comprising a mixture of at least one polymeric ester and at least one non-polymeric ester. The polymeric ester is an esterification reaction product of (i) at least one first dicarboxylic acid, (ii) at least one first monofunctional alcohol or monofunctional carboxylic acid and (iii) glycerin or derivatives thereof. The non-polymeric ester is an esterification reaction product of (i) at least one second dicarboxylic acid and (ii) at least one second monofunctional alcohol, wherein the replacement is substantially free of silicone. As described is a personal care formulation that is substantially free of silicone, wherein the formulation comprises a silicone replacement consisting substantially of a mixture of at least one polymeric ester as described above, and a non-polymeric ester as described above. Related methods are alse described.