Aqueous Microemulsion Perfume Composition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional perfumes using alcohols as solvents are volatile, flammable, and can cause skin dryness, and they interfere with the fragrance, necessitating the development of stable aqueous perfume compositions that minimize volatile organic compounds and are gentle on skin and the environment.
Innovation Solution
Aqueous, transparent oil-in-water microemulsions comprising 70-94% water, 5-12% hydrophobic perfuming substances, 4-18% volatile monoalkylated glycerol derivatives as solvo-surfactants, and 0.1-15% anionic surfactants and alkylglucosides, which are thermodynamically stable and non-sticky, reducing surfactant usage and ensuring transparency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional alcohols (ethanol, isopropanol) are used as solvents in perfumes, then the fragrance can be effectively delivered, but the composition becomes highly volatile and flammable, creating safety hazards and interfering with the perfume odor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the solvent from volatile organic alcohol to non-volatile aqueous microemulsion. This parameter change eliminates volatility and flammability while maintaining fragrance delivery capability through the microemulsion vehicle that allows controlled evaporation of fragrance molecules without the harmful properties of traditional alcohol solvents
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces microemulsion as an intermediary system between the fragrance molecules and the aqueous environment. The microemulsion acts as a mediator that solubilizes hydrophobic fragrance molecules in water, enabling fragrance delivery without direct use of volatile alcohol solvents, thus eliminating the harmful volatility and flammability while preserving the fragrance delivery function
2Device complexity
If traditional alcohols are used as solvents, then the perfume composition is simple, but the alcohol odor interferes with the intended fragrance and causes skin dryness
Solution Approach 1:
The microemulsion system serves as an intermediary that masks the solvent odor and eliminates skin dryness effects. The complex microemulsion structure (surfactants, co-surfactants, water) replaces simple alcohol, providing a neutral or pleasant odor profile and maintaining skin hydration while still delivering the fragrance effectively
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces simple alcohol with a composite aqueous microemulsion system comprising multiple components (surfactants, co-surfactants, water, electrolytes). This composite material provides multiple benefits simultaneously: eliminates alcohol odor interference, prevents skin dryness, and maintains fragrance stability and delivery, though with increased formulation complexity
3Object-affected harmful factors
If hydrophobic fragrance molecules are solubilized in water using surfactants, then the perfume becomes aqueous and safer, but the microemulsion may become opaque and require significant surfactant amounts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the surfactant-to-co-surfactant ratio and selects specific surfactant types to control micelle size and packing, achieving transparent or translucent microemulsions. By adjusting parameters such as surfactant concentration, co-surfactant chain length, and ionic strength, the formulation achieves both safety through aqueous base and desired optical clarity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses specific surfactant molecules with particular hydrophilic-lipophilic balances (HLB) and co-surfactants with specific chain lengths to create localized optimal conditions for transparency. The selection of specific surfactant structures and their local arrangement in the microemulsion interface enables light transmission while maintaining solubilization capacity
4Stability of the object's composition
If significant amounts of surfactant are used to form stable microemulsions, then the microemulsion becomes thermodynamically stable, but the composition becomes sticky and leaves residue on skin and clothing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes surfactant concentration to the minimum effective level and adjusts the surfactant molecular structure (chain length, head group) to reduce stickiness. By changing parameters such as surfactant HLB value, co-surfactant ratio, and ionic strength, the formulation achieves thermodynamic stability while minimizing adhesive properties and residue formation on skin and fabrics
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs volatile co-surfactants (short-chain alcohols, esters) that evaporate after application, leaving minimal residue. These short-living components provide temporary stabilization during application but dissipate afterward, reducing stickiness and residue while maintaining microemulsion stability during storage and use
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 provides a stable, transparent, and non-sticky perfume composition with a high perfume content, minimizing surfactant use and avoiding residue on skin and clothing, while maintaining fragrance quality and safety over time.
Implementation Method 1
surfactants are known to solubilize the fragrance molecules within micelles, forming microemulsions
Implementation Method 2
surfactants are known to solubilize the fragrance molecules within micelles
Implementation Method 3
The oil/water interface is stabilized by surfactants
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an oil-in-water microemulsion comprising, in weight percentages: between 70% and 94% of water; between 1% and 15% of at least one perfumed hydrophobic substance; between 4% and 20% of at least one preferably volatile solvo-surfactant, which is a monoalkylated glycerol derivative of formula (I); and between 0.1% and 15% of at least one anionic surfactant and at least one alkyl glucoside as a hydrotropic agent. The microemulsion can therefore be used to produce a fine fragrance composition or a cosmetic or personal hygiene composition.