Low Viscosity Silicone Polymer Hair Conditioning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hair conditioning compositions with high viscosity silicone polymers require blends with diluents or solvents to achieve desired conditioning benefits, which increases cost and complexity, and do not adequately address the needs for improved smooth feel and reduced friction on both damaged and non-damaged hair.
Innovation Solution
A low viscosity silicone polymer with quaternary groups, silicone blocks greater than 200 siloxane units, and terminal ester groups, combined with a polymeric thickener, providing improved hydrophobicity and conditioning benefits without the need for additional blend materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If high viscosity silicone polymers are used to provide conditioning benefits, then smooth feel and reduced friction are improved, but the composition requires blends with diluents or solvents which increases cost and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the viscosity parameter of the silicone polymer from high (traditional) to low (500-50,000 mPa.s), allowing the polymer to be used neat without diluents or solvents. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by enabling both smooth feel benefits and elimination of blend complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the diluents or solvents from the traditional blend formulation. By using low viscosity silicone polymers that can be applied neat, the harmful or unnecessary blend components are removed, reducing cost and complexity while maintaining conditioning benefits.
2Ease of operation
If high viscosity silicone polymers are used to achieve desired conditioning benefits, then lubrication performance is improved, but the formulation cost increases due to required blend materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the viscosity parameter to low range (500-50,000 mPa.s), enabling the silicone polymer to provide adequate lubrication performance without requiring expensive blend materials or diluents, thus reducing overall formulation cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a simpler, more cost-effective low viscosity silicone polymer formulation that eliminates the need for expensive blend materials, achieving comparable or superior performance at lower cost.
3Ease of operation
If silicone blocks of greater than 200 D units are used to optimize conditioning performance, then smooth feel on damaged hair is improved, but the viscosity becomes excessively high requiring additional diluents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the viscosity parameter to a low range (500-50,000 mPa.s) while maintaining silicone blocks greater than 200 D units. This parameter optimization allows the polymer to deliver superior conditioning performance on damaged hair without requiring complex blend formulations or diluents.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of a hair conditioning composition include a silicone polymer comprising one or more quaternary groups, at least one silicone block comprising greater than 200 siloxane units, at least one polyalkylene oxide structural unit, and at least one terminal ester group. The silicone polymer has a viscosity of up to 100,000 mPa.s. The hair conditioning composition also includes a polymeric thickener.