Solvent-Free Silicone Emulsion via Mechanical Inversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oil-in-water emulsions with silicone components are difficult to process due to high viscosity, requiring solvents that are undesirable for health, safety, and environmental reasons, limiting their use in controlled-release compositions for topical applications.
Innovation Solution
A controlled-release composition formed by mechanically inverting a water-in-oil emulsion, which is free of lipophilic solvents, incorporating a silicone component and active agent, allowing for stable and solvent-free delivery of the active agent to a substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If mechanical processes (mechanical emulsification or mechanical emulsification by inversion) are used to produce oil-in-water emulsion, then the process avoids use of additional solvents, but the high viscosity of silicone component makes the process difficult or impossible without solvents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the system by controlling temperature and applying mechanical energy through high-speed mixing. The process involves heating the mixture to facilitate emulsification and then rapidly cooling it to induce phase inversion, transforming the emulsion from water-in-oil to oil-in-water type. This parameter change enables the mechanical process to succeed without additional solvents.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic action through the temperature cycle (heating followed by rapid cooling) and the high-speed mixing process. The emulsion is subjected to intermittent mechanical stress and temperature changes that drive the phase inversion process, allowing the system to transition between states and achieve the desired emulsion type without solvents.
2Ease of manufacture
If emulsion polymerization is used to produce silicone-containing oil-in-water emulsion, then the process can handle high viscosity silicone component, but the process is limited and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the polymerization step from the emulsification process. Instead of using emulsion polymerization to create the emulsion, the patent uses mechanical emulsification by inversion of pre-formed silicone components. This separation of functions simplifies the overall process by removing the complex polymerization chemistry while maintaining the ability to process high-viscosity silicone materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the chemical mechanism of emulsion polymerization with a mechanical emulsification process. High-speed mixing and phase inversion techniques substitute for the chemical polymerization reactions, achieving emulsion formation through physical means rather than chemical synthesis, thereby simplifying the process.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If active agents are incorporated into oil-in-water emulsion produced by mechanical processes without solvents, then the composition is solvent-free and safer, but uniform dispersion of active agents is difficult without agglomerates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating the active agent into the emulsion phase before the final phase inversion occurs. The active agent is mixed with the surfactant and water phase while still in the water-in-oil emulsion stage, ensuring uniform distribution before the structural transformation to oil-in-water emulsion. This preliminary incorporation prevents agglomeration during the inversion process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses surfactants as intermediaries to facilitate uniform dispersion of active agents. The surfactants act as mediators between the active agents and the emulsion phases, ensuring compatible distribution and preventing agglomeration during the mechanical emulsification and phase inversion process. The surfactant layer facilitates homogeneous incorporation of active agents throughout the emulsion structure.
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
Enables the delivery of active agents to substrates, such as skin, without the use of additional solvents, maintaining stability and controlled release profiles, and providing substantivity for sustained pharmacological effects.
Implementation Method 1
The subject invention generally relates to a controlled-released composition for topical application to a substrate. The controlled-release composition and method of this invention incorporate an active agent into an oil-in-water emulsion for delivery of the active agent to the substrate upon application of the oil-in-water emulsion to the substrate.
Implementation Method 2
The composition includes an oil-in-water emulsion that is substantially free of lipophilic solvent and that is formed by mechanical inversion of a water-in-oil emulsion.
Data Source
AI summary
A controlled-release composition for topical application to a substrate includes an oil-in-water emulsion and an active agent incorporated into the oil-in-water emulsion. The oil-in-water emulsion is substantially free of lipophilic solvent and is formed by mechanical inversion of a water-in-oil emulsion. The water-in-oil emulsion includes a silicone component, a surfactant, and water. A method of delivering the active agent to the substrate provides the oil-in-water emulsion and incorporates the active agent into the oil-in-water emulsion for delivery of the active agent to the substrate upon application of the oil-in-water emulsion to the substrate.