Star Macromolecules for Personal Care Thickening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current personal care and cosmetic products face challenges in finding thickeners that provide desired rheological properties without high costs and environmental impact, requiring thickeners to be compatible with various bases, stable over time, and biodegradable.
Innovation Solution
Development of a polymer composition comprising star macromolecules with a core and multiple arms, where the arms are covalently attached and exhibit different solubility, formed through a controlled radical polymerization method, creating a gel with specific viscosity and stability characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If low molecular weight surfactants are used to modify rheological properties, then viscosity can be increased, but the concentration required is large resulting in high cost and adverse environmental impact
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the polymer structure into multiple functional domains within a single macromolecule: hydrophobic segments for micelle formation, hydrophilic segments for water solubility, and thickening segments for viscosity enhancement. This segmentation allows the polymer to perform multiple functions at low concentration, resolving the contradiction between achieving high viscosity and minimizing concentration.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite macromolecule incorporating multiple functional segments (hydrophobic, hydrophilic, and thickening segments) into a single polymer chain. This composite structure enables the polymer to simultaneously form micelles for solubility and provide thickening effects, thereby achieving high viscosity at low concentration and reducing environmental impact.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple types of polymers are combined to provide different desired functions, then product performance is improved, but formulation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a universal macromolecule that performs multiple functions simultaneously: hydrophobic segments form micelles for solubility, hydrophilic segments ensure water compatibility, and thickening segments provide viscosity control. This multi-functional design eliminates the need to combine multiple separate polymers, thereby simplifying formulation while maintaining versatile product performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges multiple functional polymer characteristics into a single macromolecular structure. By combining hydrophobic, hydrophilic, and thickening segments in one polymer chain, the invention consolidates what would traditionally require multiple separate polymer additives, thus reducing formulation complexity while achieving comprehensive product performance.
3Reliability
If thickeners are selected to provide desired rheological properties dependent on formulation nature and delivery mode, then product functionality is optimized, but the selection process becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs parameter changes within the macromolecule structure to achieve different rheological functions. By adjusting the ratio and length of hydrophobic, hydrophilic, and thickening segments, the polymer can be tailored to provide specific viscosity profiles and rheological properties suitable for different formulation types and delivery modes, making selection easier while maintaining optimized functionality.
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 star macromolecule composition achieves high viscosity, stability, and biodegradability, enabling effective thickening in personal care and home care products while minimizing environmental impact and production costs.
Implementation Method 1
formed through a controlled radical polymerization method
Data Source
AI summary
A polymer composition comprising star macromolecules is provided. Each star macromolecule has a core and five or more arms, wherein the number of arms within a star macromolecule varies across the composition of star molecules. The arms on a star are covalently attached to the core of the star; each arm comprises one or more (co)polymer segments; and at least one arm and/or at least one segment exhibits a different solubility from at least one other arm or one other segment, respectively, in a reference liquid of interest.