Polyglycerol Mono-Fatty Acid Ester Purity via Addition Polymerization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing polyglycerol mono-fatty acid esters have low purity due to high levels of by-products, which hinders efficient surface tension reduction when used as surfactants.

Innovation Solution

A polyglycerol mono-fatty acid ester product with specific peak intensity ratios (X and Y) is produced through an addition polymerization reaction of glycidol with a fatty acid, using a time-of-flight mass spectrometer to achieve high purity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional esterification or transesterification reactions are used to produce polyglycerol mono-fatty acid esters, then the production process can be implemented, but the product contains large amounts of by-products (diester, triester forms and their dehydration products) resulting in low purity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepurity of monoester formVSAvoidby-products (diester, triester forms and dehydration products)
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the reaction parameters by using addition polymerization instead of conventional esterification or transesterification. Specifically, it controls the molar ratio of glycidol to fatty acid between 1:0.05 and 1:2, conducts the reaction at 50-180°C for 1-48 hours, and uses specific catalysts (carboxylic acid, sulfuric acid, or phosphoric acid at 0.01-10 wt%). These parameter changes enable high-purity polyglycerol mono-fatty acid esters with 90% or more monoester content, eliminating the by-product issues of conventional methods

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts or eliminates the harmful by-products (diester, triester forms and their dehydration products) from the reaction system by using addition polymerization of glycidol with fatty acid. This reaction pathway specifically produces monoester forms without generating the problematic by-products that characterize conventional esterification and transesterification processes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If polyglycerol mono-fatty acid esters with low purity are used as surfactants, then they can be applied in various formulations, but the surface tension cannot be efficiently reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface tension reduction efficiencyVSAvoidpurity of monoester form
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent improves surface tension reduction efficiency by changing the purity parameter of the polyglycerol mono-fatty acid ester product. By controlling the addition polymerization reaction parameters (glycidol to fatty acid molar ratio of 1:0.05 to 1:2, temperature of 50-180°C, reaction time of 1-48 hours, and catalyst selection), the patent achieves products with 90% or more monoester content, which directly enhances the reliability of surface tension reduction when used as surfactants

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 high-purity ester effectively reduces surface tension, enhances detergency, and improves liquid crystal formation and makeup removability, providing a refreshing skin feel.

Implementation Method 1

carrying out an addition polymerization reaction of glycidol with a fatty acid

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAddition polymerization:

Implementation Method 2

mass spectrometry of the polyglycerol mono-fatty acid ester product is performed using a time-of-flight mass spectrometer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTime-of-flight mass spectrometry: Time of Flight

Data Source

PatentEP4722189A1Polyglycerin mono-fatty acid ester product and method for producing same
Publication Date: 2026.04.08 DAICEL CORP
  • EP4722189A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4722189A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4722189A1 patent drawing

AI summary

Provided is a polyglycerol mono-fatty acid ester product with high purity. In addition, there is provided a production method capable of providing a polyglycerol mono-fatty acid ester with high purity. A polyglycerol mono-fatty acid ester product, in which a fatty acid has 4 to 25 carbon atoms, a peak intensity ratio represented by Formula (X) below is 0.20 or more, and a peak intensity ratio represented by Formula (Y) below is 0.46 or less: Formula (X) = P2/P1 Formula (Y) = P3/P1 P1: a sum of peak intensities of a monoester form, a dehydration product of the monoester form, a diester form, a dehydration product of the diester form, a triester form, and a dehydration product of the triester form of a polyglycerol fatty acid ester, as well as peak intensities of polyglycerol and a dehydration product of the polyglycerol when mass spectrometry of the polyglycerol mono-fatty acid ester product is performed using a time-of-flight mass spectrometer, P2: the peak intensity of the monoester form of the polyglycerol fatty acid ester when the mass spectrometry of the polyglycerol mono-fatty acid ester product is performed using the time-of-flight mass spectrometer, P3: a sum of the peak intensities of the polyglycerol and the dehydration product of the polyglycerol when the mass spectrometry of the polyglycerol mono-fatty acid ester product is performed using the time-of-flight mass spectrometer.