Aqueous silicone polyether microemulsions

• US 9,610,239 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2013
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dow Silicones Corporation (Dow, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dow Corning Corporation (Dow, Inc.)
• Inventors: Feng, Qian Jane, Johnson, Bethany K., Liu, Yihan
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, MARGARET G
• Application Number:
  US14/421,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20150216790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/413 Nanosized, i.e. having sizes below 100 nm
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/068 Microemulsions
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/4993 Derivatives containing from 2 to 10 oxyalkylene groups
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/893 modified by an alkoxy or aryloxy group, e.g. behenoxy dimethicone or stearoxy dimethicone
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/894 modified by a polyoxyalkylene group, e.g. cetyl dimethicone copolyol
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 5/02 Preparations for cleaning the hair
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 5/06 Preparations for styling the hair, e.g. by temporary shaping or colouring
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 5/12 Preparations containing hair conditioners
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 77/14 containing silicon bound to oxygen-containing groups C08G77/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 77/46 containing polyether sequences
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2383/12 containing polyether sequences
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 3/03 in aqueous media
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 83/12 containing polyether sequences

Abstract

Silicone polyether microemulsions are disclosed containing i) at least 20% by weight of a water immiscible dispersed phase comprising certain polydialkylsiloxane-polyoxyalkylene copolymers having 0.1 to 10 wt % ethylene oxide (C₂H₄O) groups, optionally a water immiscible silicone or hydrocarbon fluid, and ii) at least 5% by weight of an emulsifier. The silicone polyether microemulsions are optically transparent and have an average particle size of less than 100 nanometers. They may be used in a variety of personal care product formulations. In particular, the silicone polyether microemulsions may be used to prepare “clear” personal care products.

Claims

1. An aqueous silicone polyether microemulsion consisting of:

i) at least 20% by weight of a water immiscible dispersed phase comprising;

A) a polydialkylsiloxane-polyoxyalkylene copolymer having the average formula

R¹₃SiO[R¹₂SiO]_x[R¹R²siO]_ySiR¹₃ or R¹₂R²SiO[R¹₂SiO]_xSiR¹₂R²

wherein x ranges from 50 to 1000, y ranges from 1 to 50,

R¹ is an alkyl group containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms,

R² is a polyoxyalkylene group having the average formula

—

R³O(C₂H₄O)_a(C₃H₆O)_bR⁴ wherein

a is greater than 4, b ranges from 0 to 10,

R³ is a divalent hydrocarbon group containing 2 to 12 carbon atoms,

R⁴ is hydrogen, R¹, or an acetyl group,

with the proviso that the polydialkylsiloxane-polyoxyalkylene copolymer

contains 0.1 to 10 wt % ethylene oxide (C₂H₄O) groups,

B) optionally, a water immiscible silicone or hydrocarbon fluid, and

ii) at least 5% by weight of

C) an emulsifier selected from an anionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, or a combination thereof,

wherein the silicone polyether microemulsion is optically transparent and has an average particle size of less than 100 nanometers.

2. The microemulsion of claim 1 wherein the emulsifier is a surfactant or combination of surfactants capable of forming bi-layer structures when 20-80 wt % of the surfactant is dispersed in water.

3. The microemulsion of claim 2 wherein the formed bi-layer structures are lamellar phase structures.

4. The microemulsion of claim 1 wherein the polydialkylsiloxane-polyoxyalkylene copolymer has the average formula R¹₃SiO[R¹₂SiO]_x[R¹R²SiO]_ySiR¹₃.

5. The microemulsion of claim 4 wherein x is 205 to 500, y is 1 to 20, R¹ is methyl, and R² is —

CH₂CH₂CH₂O[C₂H₄O]_aH where a is greater than 4.

6. The microemulsion of claim 1 comprising 40-60 wt % of the water immiscible dispersed phase and 10-40 wt % of C) the emulsifier.

7. A method of making the silicone polyether microemulsion of claim 1 consisting of mixing:

at least 20% by weight of;

A) a polydialkylsiloxane-polyoxyalkylene copolymer having the average formula

R¹₃SiO[R¹₂SiO]_x[R¹R²SiO]_ySiR¹₃ or R¹₂R²SiO[R¹₂SiO]_xSiR¹₂R²

wherein x ranges from 50 to 1000, y ranges from 1 to 50,

R¹ is an alkyl group containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms,

R² is a polyoxyalkylene group having the average formula

—

R³O(C₂H₄O)_a(C₃H₆O)_bR⁴ wherein

a is greater than 4, b ranges from 0 to 10,

R³ is a divalent hydrocarbon group containing 2 to 12 carbon atoms,

R⁴ is hydrogen, R¹, or an acetyl group,

with the proviso that the polydialkylsiloxane-polyoxyalkylene copolymer

contains 0.1 to 10 wt % ethylene oxide (C₂H₄O) groups,

B) optionally, a water immiscible silicone or hydrocarbon fluid, and at least 5% by weight of

C) an emulsifier selected from an anionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, or a combination thereof,

and sufficient water or an aqueous phase to sum to 100% by weight.

8. A method for treating fibers comprising applying to a fiber the microemulsion according to claim 1.

9. The method of claim 8 where the fiber is a hair fiber.

10. The method of claim 9 where the microemulsion is applied to the hair fiber from a personal care product composition.

11. The method of claim 10 where the personal care product composition is a shampoo, leave-on conditioner, rinse-off conditioner, conditioning spray, hair styling spray, hair styling gel, shower gel, or styling composition.

12. A personal care product composition comprising the microemulsion according to claim 1.

13. The personal care product composition of claim 12 where the personal care product is a shampoo, leave-on conditioner, rinse-off conditioner, conditioning spray, hair styling spray, hair styling gel, shower gel, or styling composition.

14. The personal care product composition of claim 13 where the personal care product is a shampoo.