Water-Resistant Personal Care Polymers Reducing Tackiness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current water resistance polymers used in personal care compositions, such as sunscreens, are often tacky and negatively impact the aesthetic feel, while failing to effectively retain active ingredients in the presence of water.
Innovation Solution
A polymer composition comprising 75% to 35% (meth)acrylate monomers and 25% to 65% hydrophobic monomers, with optional crosslinkers, that provides superior aesthetic feel and excellent retention of active ingredients in the presence of water, formed through conventional emulsion polymerization with specific monomers and initiators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional water resistance polymers are used, then water resistance is achieved, but aesthetic feel deteriorates due to tackiness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the polymer by incorporating specific ratios of hydrophobic monomers (25-65% by weight) and (meth)acrylate monomers (35-75% by weight), along with specific crosslinking agents, to achieve the desired balance of water resistance and reduced tackiness. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction by adjusting the molecular structure to reduce surface stickiness while maintaining water barrier properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite polymer system combining multiple monomer types (hydrophobic monomers, (meth)acrylate monomers, and crosslinking agents) in specific proportions. This composite approach allows the material to exhibit both water resistance from the hydrophobic components and reduced tackiness from the balanced composition, resolving the technical contradiction through material composition optimization.
2Reliability
If conventional water resistance polymers are used, then water resistance is achieved, but retention of active ingredients deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the polymer composition parameters including the inclusion of 0.1-10% by weight crosslinking agents to create an optimal network structure that traps and retains active ingredients. The specific ratio of hydrophobic to (meth)acrylate monomers is adjusted to create a matrix that prevents active ingredient leaching while maintaining water resistance, thus resolving the contradiction between water resistance and active ingredient retention.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If polymer composition is optimized for aesthetic feel, then tackiness is reduced, but water resistance may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully balances the composition parameters within specific ranges: 25-65% hydrophobic monomers for reduced tackiness, 35-75% (meth)acrylate monomers for aesthetic feel, and 0.1-10% crosslinking agents for structural integrity. This balanced parameter optimization ensures that reducing tackiness does not compromise water resistance, as the crosslinked network maintains the water barrier function while the composition reduces surface stickiness.
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 polymer composition offers improved aesthetic performance and enhanced retention of active ingredients, providing greater sunscreen protection and maintaining effectiveness even after exposure to water, with formulations showing excellent SPF retention and reduced tackiness.
Implementation Method 1
one or more hydrophobic monomer, including hydrophobically substituted (meth)acrylate monomers
Implementation Method 2
excellent retention of active ingredients when water is present
Data Source
AI summary
Described are personal care compositions comprising a polymer comprising: (a) one or more polymer comprising, as polymerized units, (i) 75% to 35% by weight, based on the weight of said polymer, one or more (meth)acrylate monomer selected from at least one of C1-C4 (meth)acrylate, (meth)acrylic acid, styrene, or substituted styrene, and (ii) 25% to 65% by weight, based on the weight of said polymer, one or more hydrophobic monomer, including hydrophobically substituted (meth)acrylate monomers, with alkyl chain length from C8 to C22 and, (iii) optionally crosslinker, and, (b) at least one suncare active. Optionally, the polymer further includes a stage 2 polymer comprising, as polymerized units, (i) 10-99% of one or more monomer which has a Tg of more than 80° C. after polymer formation, (ii) 1-10% of one or more (meth)acrylate monomer containing acid functional group, and (iii) optionally, a crosslinker.