Non-aerosol Foaming Hand Sanitizer with Silicone Surfactants
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current non-aerosol alcohol-based foaming hand sanitizers face challenges with poor moisturization properties, limited microbial efficacy, sensitivity to excipient ingredients, and inability to maintain antimicrobial activity over time, especially in the presence of organic loads and dilution, while also posing environmental concerns due to fluorosurfactant use.
Innovation Solution
A non-aerosol alcohol foam sanitizer composition incorporating a novel silicone dimer reaction product, such as bis-PEG-10 dimethicone/dimer dilinoleate, combined with aromatic alcohols, cationic substrate binding components, polyquaternium, humectants, and cationic surfactants, which enhances foam stability, moisturization, and antimicrobial activity without propellants or fluorosurfactants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If fluorosurfactant or linear silicone surfactant chemistries are used to lower surface tension and create foam in alcohol-rich environment, then foam generation is achieved, but moisturization and aesthetic properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple surfactant types (fluorosurfactant and silicone surfactant) in specific proportions to create a composite surfactant system that achieves both foam stability and moisturization. This composite approach allows the formulation to benefit from the foaming properties of fluorosurfactants while the silicone surfactant contributes to moisturization and aesthetic properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the concentration ratios of different surfactants and adjusts formulation parameters such as alcohol content, water content, and auxiliary ingredients to achieve the desired balance between foam stability and moisturization. By carefully controlling these parameters, the formulation overcomes the traditional trade-off between foaming performance and skin care properties.
2Reliability
If alcohol content is increased to enhance immediate antimicrobial effects, then antimicrobial activity is improved, but residual activity and skin irritation worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces additional antimicrobial agents as intermediaries that work synergistically with alcohol. These agents include benzalkonium chloride, chlorhexidine, or other quaternary ammonium compounds that provide residual antimicrobial activity after alcohol evaporation. The combination allows the formulation to maintain high immediate efficacy while extending the duration of protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The formulation creates a composite antimicrobial system combining alcohol with other antimicrobial agents in specific ratios. This composite approach ensures that while alcohol provides rapid killing action, the additional agents provide sustained residual activity, overcoming the limitation of alcohol alone.
3Duration of action of moving object
If thickening agents are added to increase viscosity and lower alcohol evaporation rate, then exposure time is extended, but aesthetic skin feel deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the viscosity of the formulation by adjusting the concentration of thickening agents and modifying the alcohol-to-water ratio. By controlling these parameters, the formulation achieves sufficient viscosity to extend alcohol contact time without creating a thick, unpleasant texture that would deteriorate skin feel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses volatile carriers that evaporate quickly, allowing the active antimicrobial ingredients to remain on the skin surface without requiring thickening agents for extended residence time. The quick-evaporating carrier delivers the actives and then disappears, leaving a lightweight residue that maintains good skin feel.
4Ease of operation
If propellant-based aerosol technology is used to create and stabilize foam, then foam delivery is improved, but environmental sustainability and safety deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the propellant component from the foam delivery system, replacing it with a pump or pressure-based mechanism that delivers the alcoholic solution without requiring aerosol propellants. This extraction of the harmful element (propellant) eliminates environmental and safety concerns while maintaining effective foam or spray delivery through alternative mechanical means.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the aerosol propellant system (which uses compressed gas mechanics) with a pump-based or pressure-regulated liquid delivery system. This mechanical substitution eliminates the need for propellants while achieving comparable or superior delivery control, improving both environmental sustainability and user safety.
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 composition achieves superior foam stability, moisturization, and prolonged antimicrobial efficacy, meeting FDA criteria for Healthcare Personnel Handwash, including tolerance to organic loads and dilution, with improved skin feel and environmental sustainability.
Implementation Method 1
a novel silicone dimer reaction product, such as bis-PEG-10 dimethicone/dimer dilinoleate, combined with aromatic alcohols, cationic substrate binding components, polyquaternium, humectants, and cationic surfactants, which enhances foam stability
Implementation Method 2
an aromatic alcohol as an activity enhancing substance; a cationic substrate binding activity enhancing substance
Implementation Method 3
a humectant
Implementation Method 4
a cationic surfactant
Data Source
AI summary
A non-aerosol, foaming high alcohol content hand sanitizer is provided which has excellent antimicrobial activity and tolerance for organic load and excellent residual activity, as well as enhanced moisturization and skin-feel properties over currently marketed alcohol-based sanitizers. The inventive composition achieves an unexpectedly large amount of quality, stable foam even in the presence of significant quantities of skin conditioning agents through the use of novel silicone surfactants and achieves enhanced and prolonged antimicrobial efficacy through the combination of high alcohol content and activity enhancing components.