Lauroyl N-Methyl Glucamide Liquid Formulation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Lauryl N-Methyl Glucamide (LMG) formulations tend to solidify at temperatures below ambient conditions, making them unsuitable for commercial hair and skin products, and existing solutions require strong anionic detergents that can be damaging to skin and hair.
Innovation Solution
Formulating LMG with decyl glucoside and glycerol in specific proportions to prevent solidification at room temperature, creating a non-oily, water-soluble liquid formulation that maintains a hydrophobic barrier on skin and hair without the need for ionic detergents or salts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If LMG is formulated at concentrations that provide desired skin and hair treatment properties, then the formulation achieves beneficial therapeutic effects, but the formulation solidifies at temperatures below ambient conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces water as an intermediary substance to prevent solidification of LMG. Water acts as a mediator that disrupts the crystalline structure formation, allowing LMG to remain in a liquid state at lower temperatures while maintaining its therapeutic properties for skin and hair treatment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the formulation by adjusting temperature and water content. By controlling the temperature to be above the solidification point and maintaining adequate water content, the formulation remains liquid while preserving the beneficial effects of LMG at therapeutic concentrations.
2Stability of the object's composition
If strong anionic detergents are added to prevent LMG solidification, then the formulation remains liquid at ambient temperatures, but the detergents become damaging to skin and hair
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the harmful strong anionic detergents from the formulation. Instead of using these damaging substances to prevent solidification, the patent relies on water as a benign intermediary that achieves the same solidification prevention without the harmful effects on skin and hair.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of needing strong detergents to prevent solidification into a benefit by using water instead. Water, which is naturally benign and non-damaging, serves the dual purpose of maintaining liquid state and providing skin/hair compatibility, turning a harmful requirement into a beneficial outcome.
3Quantity of substance
If LMG is used to increase viscosity of cleansing compositions, then the formulation achieves desired thickness, but the formulation solidifies at temperatures between 15-20°C
Solution Approach 1:
Water serves as an intermediary that prevents the solidification of LMG while allowing the formulation to maintain increased viscosity. The water molecules disrupt the crystalline structure formation, enabling the composition to remain liquid at lower temperatures while preserving the thickening effect needed for cleansing compositions.
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 formulation remains liquid at temperatures below 0°C, providing a non-oily hydrophobic barrier that reduces water loss from skin and frizzing in hair, while being gentle and non-irritating, thus enhancing skin and hair health without the drawbacks of anionic surfactants.
Implementation Method 1
these LMG compositions still retain the capacity to create a non-oily water impermeable barrier when applied to skin or hair
Implementation Method 2
The addition of certain simple low molecular weight compounds in the correct proportions to LMG can prevent the liquid to solid phase transition
Data Source
AI summary
Compositions and methods for their use in treating human or other mammalian skin and hair. Non-ionic, salt-free non-solidifying formulations of Lauroyl N methyl glucamide and alkyl glycosides are disclosed that impart beneficial barrier properties to skin and hair.