Hair Composition Using Pyrrolidone Carboxylic Acid Esters

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current hair conditioners do not fully meet user expectations for improved manageability, volume, body, shine, and combability, despite extensive development in the field.

Innovation Solution

A composition combining pyrrolidone carboxylic acid esters and/or its salts with cationic polymers and cationic surfactants, applied as a cleansing-conditioning composition or post-cleansing treatment, to enhance hair manageability, elasticity, volume, body, and shine.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional conditioners are used, then some conditioning effects are achieved, but user expectations for improved manageability, volume, body, shine, and combability are not fully met

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconditioning effectVSAvoiduser expectation satisfaction

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines pyrrolidone carboxylic acid esters (moisturizing agents) with cationic polymers and cationic surfactants (conditioning agents) to create a composite composition that delivers multiple conditioning effects simultaneously, including improved manageability, volume, body, shine, and combability, thereby fully meeting user expectations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges the moisturizing function of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid esters with the conditioning function of cationic polymers and surfactants in a single composition, allowing both functions to work synergistically to achieve comprehensive hair conditioning effects

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If pyrrolidone carboxylic acid esters are used in cleansing composition, then moisturizing effect is achieved, but enhanced conditioning effect requires additional ingredients

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemoisturizing effectVSAvoidcomposition complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The composition is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: pyrrolidone carboxylic acid esters provide moisturizing effect while cationic polymers and surfactants provide conditioning effect, allowing a single composition to deliver both moisturizing and conditioning benefits without requiring separate products

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention combines moisturizing agents (pyrrolidone carboxylic acid esters) with conditioning agents (cationic polymers and surfactants) in one formulation, enabling the composition to achieve both moisturizing and conditioning effects in a single application

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If cationic polymers and cationic surfactants are used alone, then conditioning effect is achieved, but optimal results require combination with pyrrolidone carboxylic acid esters

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconditioning effectVSAvoidingredient combination

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite composition where pyrrolidone carboxylic acid esters and cationic polymers/surfactants work synergistically, with the ester providing moisturizing benefits that enhance the conditioning effect of the cationic ingredients, achieving optimal results that neither ingredient can deliver alone

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention optimizes the concentration ranges of multiple ingredients (pyrrolidone carboxylic acid esters at 0.01-5%, cationic polymers at 0.01-10%, cationic surfactants at 0.01-10%) to achieve synergistic effects, where the combination of ingredients at specific concentrations produces enhanced conditioning effects greater than the sum of individual contributions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 significantly improves hair manageability, combability, smoothness, volume, body, and shine, with synergistic effects observed when both cleansing and post-cleansing treatments contain pyrrolidone carboxylic acid esters and salts.

Implementation Method 1

pyrrolidon carboxylic acid and its salts... have moisturizing effect primarily on skin

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydration: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

at least one conditioning compound selected from cationic polymers and cationic surfactants... has outstanding conditioning effect on hair

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentEP2090291B1Composition for hair comprising PCA and PCA ester

Publication Date: 2011.09.14 KAO GERMANY GMBH

AI summary

Present invention relates to a composition for hair comprising pyrrolidon carboxylic acid and/or its salts and its fatty acid esters according to formula wherein R1 is a straight or branched, saturated or unsaturated alkyl chain with 1 to 22 C atoms, phenyl, phenyl alkyl with alkyl chain length of 1 to 4 C atoms, phenyl alkoxy group with alkyl chain length of 1 to 4 C atoms and phenoxy alkyl group with alkyl chain length of 1 to 4 C atoms. Composition of the present invention can be in any form suitable for application onto hair such as in form of a shampoo, cleansing - conditioning composition, or in the form of a conditioner used after washing hair with a cleansing composition. The latter is used either as rinse off or as leave in conditioner.