Synergistic PolyAPTAC and Polyquaternium-37 Hair Conditioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hair care products face challenges in conditioning damaged hair without using silicones, as they often result in over-conditioning, leading to weighed-down hair, while also failing to provide long-lasting manageability and detangling benefits.

Innovation Solution

A personal care composition comprising 0.1 wt. % to 20 wt. % of Poly(acrylamido-N-propyltrimethylammonium chloride) (PolyAPTAC) polymer, 0.1 wt. % to 5 wt. % of Polyquaternium-37, 0.1 wt. % to 5 wt. % of cationic surfactants, and 0.1 wt. % to 99.9 wt. % of water, along with cosmetically acceptable excipients, which provides immediate and prolonged benefits to keratin substrates like hair or skin.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If silicones are used to provide conditioning properties, then ease of combing and detangling is improved, but the formulation becomes dependent on additional cationic ingredients for deposition and may cause over-conditioning

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of combing and detanglingVSAvoidformulation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines PolyAPTAC polymer and Polyquaternium-37 into a single synergistic conditioning composition that integrates multiple functions (conditioning, detangling, film formation) into one formulation, eliminating the need for separate cationic ingredient systems required by traditional silicones

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a composite polymer system comprising PolyAPTAC and Polyquaternium-37, where the two polymers work synergistically to provide enhanced conditioning properties similar to silicones but with improved deposition characteristics and reduced formulation complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of operation

If hair is over-conditioned to improve manageability and smoothness, then conditioning benefits are enhanced, but the hair is perceived as being weighed down

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanageability and smoothnessVSAvoidhair weight perception
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the concentration parameters of PolyAPTAC (0.1-20 wt%) and Polyquaternium-37 (0.1-5 wt%) to achieve effective conditioning at lower levels, preventing the weighed-down effect associated with over-conditioning while maintaining manageability and smoothness benefits

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Duration of action of moving object

If traditional conditioning compositions are used, then immediate conditioning benefits are provided, but long-lasting manageability and detangling benefits are not achieved

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelong-lasting manageabilityVSAvoidconsistency of conditioning benefits
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The synergistic polymer composition is designed to pre-form a durable film on the hair surface during application, creating long-lasting conditioning benefits that persist through multiple washes, rather than requiring repeated applications for maintenance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 offers improved conditioning and styling benefits similar to silicones, including ease of combing and detangling, while avoiding the drawbacks of over-conditioning, and provides long-lasting results even after multiple washes.

Implementation Method 1

Silicones function by forming a film on the hair surface and depending on the nature of the silicone they are either self-deposited or they require additional cationic ingredients for deposition

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDeposition: Deposition (physical)

Implementation Method 2

0.1 wt. % to 5 wt. % of at least one cationic surfactants

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrostatic attraction: Electrostatic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP3337444B1Synergistic conditioning and/or styling compositions comprising polyquaternium-37 and polyaptac
Publication Date: 2020.10.07 HERCULES LLC
  • EP3337444B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3337444B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3337444B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A personal care conditioning and/or styling synergistic composition for a keratin substrate comprising: (i) about 0.1 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of PolyAPT AC polymer; (ii) about 0.1 wt. % to about 5 wt. % of Polyquaternium-37; (iii) about 0.1 wt. % to about 5 wt. % of at least one cationic surfactants; (iv) about 0.1 wt. % to 99.9 wt. % of water; and (v) about 0.01 wt. % to 20 wt. % of at least one cosmetically acceptable excipient, wherein the composition is capable of providing immediate and prolonged benefit to a desired keratin substrate which is hair or skin.