Liquid Dispersion Using Polyol and Surfactant for Cosmetic Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Dispersing inorganic powder in a dispersion medium is costly and requires high expertise, and large particle-sized inorganic powders tend to settle, leading to poor dispersion stability and phase separation in liquid dispersions, making them unsuitable for both O/W and W/O cosmetic products.
Innovation Solution
A liquid dispersion containing a polyol, a nonionic surfactant, and a hydrophobized inorganic powder with low water content (1% or less) and a hydrophobized inorganic powder of 150 nm to 700 nm particle size, which maintains stability and prevents caking and phase separation, allowing for use in both O/W and W/O cosmetic products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If inorganic powder is dispersed in a dispersion medium to facilitate good color development, then color performance is improved, but dispersing requires adequate facility and manpower, increasing cost and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The inorganic powder is pre-dispersed in a polyol-based liquid medium during manufacturing, creating a ready-to-use liquid dispersion that eliminates the need for separate dispersing facilities and manpower at the application site. The powder is thoroughly mixed with polyol and nonionic surfactant before supply, so no additional dispersing equipment is needed when applying to cosmetic products.
Solution Approach 2:
A polyol-based liquid medium serves as an intermediary carrier between the inorganic powder and the final cosmetic product. This liquid medium pre-disperses the powder particles and transports them directly to the application, replacing complex dispersing facilities with a simple liquid delivery system.
2Quantity of substance
If inorganic powder with large particle size (150 nm or more) is used in liquid dispersion, then pigment grade performance is achieved, but the inorganic powder easily settles, leading to poor dispersion stability and phase separation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the liquid medium parameters from water-based to polyol-based (using compounds like ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, or glycerol). This parameter change in the dispersion medium prevents settling of large particle-sized inorganic powder by providing better wetting and suspension properties, achieving both pigment grade particle size and long-term dispersion stability.
Solution Approach 2:
Nonionic surfactants act as intermediaries between the inorganic powder particles and the polyol medium. These surfactants adsorb onto the particle surfaces, providing steric stabilization that prevents aggregation and settling, thereby maintaining dispersion stability of large particle-sized pigment grade inorganic powder.
3Adaptability or versatility
If water is used as the dispersion medium for inorganic powder, then the dispersion can be applied to O/W type cosmetic products, but the inorganic powder settles and caking occurs over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the dispersion medium from water to polyol compounds. This parameter change fundamentally alters the interaction between the medium and inorganic powder particles, preventing the settling and caking that occur in aqueous systems while maintaining adaptability to cosmetic formulations through the hydrophilic nature of polyols.
4Shape
If organically surface-treated fine particle inorganic powder is dispersed in water, then fine texture and good handling properties are achieved, but the inorganic powder does not provide adequate stability for pigment grade particle sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes both the particle size parameter and the dispersion medium parameter simultaneously. By using polyol instead of water and combining it with appropriate nonionic surfactants, the system achieves stable dispersion of larger pigment-grade particles while maintaining the fine texture and handling properties associated with surface-treated inorganic powders.
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 liquid dispersion achieves long-term stability, reducing costs and simplifying the dispersing process, while providing good color development, texture, and water and sweat repellency in cosmetic products.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid dispersion containing a polyol, a nonionic surfactant, and a hydrophobized inorganic powder
Implementation Method 2
a hydrophobized inorganic powder (C), wherein the water content in 100% by mass of the liquid dispersion is 1% by mass or less
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a liquid dispersion capable of stably maintaining the dispersed state for a long time and suitably applicable to both O/W type cosmetic products and W/O type cosmetic products. The present invention also provides a cosmetic raw material containing the liquid dispersion and a cosmetic product containing the liquid dispersion. The present invention provides a liquid dispersion containing a polyol (A); a nonionic surfactant (B); and a hydrophobized inorganic powder (C), wherein the water content in 100% by mass of the liquid dispersion is 1% by mass or less.