Low-stringiness Polymer Thickener for Cosmetics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thickeners used in cosmetics, particularly polyacrylic acid and PAMPS, exhibit strong stringiness properties that lead to undesirable feelings like sliminess and stickiness, limiting their usability and spreadability.
Innovation Solution
Developing a thickener with a weight-average molecular weight between 500 thousand and 8 million, where the content of molecules with a molecular weight of 10 million or higher is 10% or less, significantly reducing stringiness and improving spreadability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If polyacrylic acid or PAMPS is used as a thickener to achieve high viscosity and thickening effect, then the thickening performance is improved, but the stringiness property increases causing sliminess and stickiness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the molecular weight distribution of the polymer. Specifically, it uses polyacrylic acid or PAMPS with a weight-average molecular weight of 500,000 to 8,000,000 and limits the content of molecules with molecular weight of 10,000,000 or higher to 10 mass% or less. This parameter control reduces the stringiness property while maintaining the thickening effect.
2Quantity of substance
If the blending quantity of polyacrylic acid or PAMPS is increased to enhance thickening effect, then the viscosity increases, but the stringiness property becomes more pronounced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by changing the molecular weight parameters of the polymer. By using polyacrylic acid or PAMPS with controlled molecular weight (500,000 to 8,000,000) and limiting high molecular weight components to 10 mass% or less, the patent enables higher blending quantities without proportionally increasing stringiness, as the molecular weight distribution prevents excessive viscosity buildup from high molecular weight fractions.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If natural polymer compounds are used to avoid stringiness, then the stringiness property is reduced, but supply stability and quality stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by changing the molecular weight parameters of synthetic polymers to match the desirable properties of natural polymers. By controlling the molecular weight to be between 500,000 and 8,000,000 and limiting high molecular weight components to 10 mass% or less, the patent achieves low stringiness in synthetic polyacrylic acid or PAMPS, providing both supply stability and quality consistency while maintaining low stringiness properties.
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 solution results in a thickener that minimizes stringy feelings, sliminess, and stickiness, enhancing the cosmetic's spreadability and overall usability.
Implementation Method 1
These polymer compounds are generally considered to exert a thickening effect by taking in water molecules into the molecules (namely, hydration) and the formation of a three-dimensional network structure.
Data Source
AI summary
Aqueous compositions can be thickened without increasing stringiness, by using polymers of polyacrylic acid, poly(2-acryamide-2-methylpropanesulfonate), or salts thereof, having a weight average molecular weights of 500,000 to 8,000,000 as thickeners. The polymers contain no more than 10 mass % of polymers having a molecular weight of 10,000,00 or more, and/or contain no more than 10 mass % of polymers having more than three times the weight average molecular weight. Aqueous solutions of these polymers exhibit a low degree of stringiness, and are particularly useful as thickeners for cosmetics.