Estolide Ester Composition for Topical Emollients
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cosmetic emollients are largely derived from petrochemical sources and lack 100% organic origin, raising environmental and health concerns, while existing estolide compositions for cosmetic applications do not fully address the need for improved physical-chemical and sensory properties.
Innovation Solution
An estolide ester composition is developed through an addition reaction of saturated fatty acids with unsaturated fatty acids, followed by optional treatment and esterification with alcohols, resulting in a composition with enhanced sensory properties and 100% biological origin.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional petrochemical emollients (isoparaffins, white oils, silicone oils) are used, then stability and odorless properties are improved, but renewable resource origin is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the chemical structure parameters of natural fatty acids through estolide formation, creating molecules with stability properties comparable to petrochemical emollients while maintaining renewable origin. The estolide structure (ester linkage between fatty acid and alcohol) provides oxidative stability and hydrolytic resistance, resolving the contradiction between natural origin and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite estolide molecules by combining saturated and unsaturated fatty acid chains with alcohol moieties, producing a hybrid structure that integrates the renewability of natural fats with the stability characteristics of synthetic emollients. This composite approach allows simultaneous achievement of both renewable origin and reliability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If volatile silicones (cyclomethicone) are used as emollients, then harmlessness on skin is improved, but environmental and health harmful effects are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts potentially harmful unsaturated fatty acid double bonds into beneficial estolide linkages through controlled addition reactions. This transformation eliminates the oxidative instability and potential irritation of free unsaturated fats while creating stable, biodegradable emollients that maintain skin compatibility without silicone-related environmental concerns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical parameters of fatty acids by forming estolide bonds, changing the molecular architecture from simple carboxylic acids to complex ester structures. This parameter change enhances skin compatibility while improving environmental profile through biodegradability, resolving the contradiction between skin safety and environmental harm.
3Adaptability or versatility
If estolide compositions are developed from natural fatty acids, then 100% biological origin is improved, but physical-chemical and sensory properties are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the estolide composition into distinct molecular components (saturated fatty acid chains, unsaturated fatty acid chains, and alcohol moieties) with specific functions. The saturated portions provide stability and structure, while the unsaturated portions contribute to sensory properties and fluidity, allowing optimization of both biological origin and physical-chemical properties through compositional control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating estolide molecules with heterogeneous structures containing both saturated and unsaturated regions. The saturated segments provide oxidative stability and structural integrity, while the unsaturated segments enhance sensory properties and skin compatibility, allowing the composition to achieve both biological origin and improved physical-chemical properties simultaneously.
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 estolide ester composition provides improved sensory properties and stability, suitable for topical applications, while being biodegradable and miscible with other cosmetic substances, offering a non-irritating and low-odor alternative to traditional emollients.
Implementation Method 1
an addition reaction of a saturated fatty acid composition (C1) to an unsaturated fatty acid composition (C2) in the presence of a catalyst in order to obtain an estolide acid composition (C3)
Implementation Method 2
the estolide acid composition (C3) undergoes a treatment step for removing the unsaturated fatty acids and/or the saturated fatty acids, preferentially by molecular distillation
Implementation Method 3
an esterification reaction of the acid estolides of the acid estolide composition (C3), or, if any, of the treated estolide acid composition (C3bis), using an alcohol composition (C4) comprising one or a plurality of linear or branched alcohols with 2 to 6 carbon atoms
Implementation Method 4
at the end of the esterification reaction, the estolide ester composition (C5) undergoes a treatment step for removing the alcohols, preferentially by molecular distillation
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an estolide ester composition with improved sensory properties for cosmetic or pharmaceutical topical applications.