Colloid systems and wetting agents; subcombinations thereof; pro – Continuous liquid or supercritical phase: colloid systems;... – Aqueous continuous liquid phase and discontinuous phase...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-13
2002-04-09
Lovering, Richard D. (Department: 1712)
Colloid systems and wetting agents; subcombinations thereof; pro
Continuous liquid or supercritical phase: colloid systems;...
Aqueous continuous liquid phase and discontinuous phase...
C424S070120, C424S070160, C424S070200, C514S944000, C516S104000, C516S105000, C516S903000, C526S932000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06369117
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to an aqueous composition comprising a new thickening system, as well as to the use of this new thickening system in an aqueous composition which can be used in particular in the cosmetic field.
It is known to use, as aqueous-media thickening agent, water-soluble or water-dispersible polymers, and in particular optionally cross-linked polymers. The thickening is then caused by the entanglement of the polymer chains, the said amphiphilic polymers preferably having a long chain length and a high molecular weight.
It is also known to use, as aqueous-media thickener, hydrophilic polymers containing hydrophobic groups which exist in the form of randomly distributed side groups, grafts and/or blocks. These amphiphilic polymers make it possible to obtain substantial thickening of the medium even when they are used in a small quantity. The thickening is generated by the formation of aggregates between the hydrophobic groups of the amphiphilic polymer, these aggregates constituting physical cross-linking points between the macromolecular chains. However, it has been observed that the presence of hydrophilic polymers with hydrophobic groups, even in a small quantity, in compositions, especially cosmetic compositions, could modify in an undesirable manner the cosmetic properties of the said compositions, for example the properties of feel or spreading.
On the other hand, it is also known to prepare hair compositions in the form of a gel comprising polymers with hydrophobic units combined with surfactants; the gel is then formed by virtue of the formation of mixed micelles. However, it has been observed that the texture obtained was often brittle, which made the composition hardly prehensible; furthermore, the presence of an excess of surfactant could lead to certain disadvantages in the field of leave-in compositions.
The patent application EP 0,412,706 describes a particular carrier for cosmetic compositions which is intended to produce a rheology resembling that of a gel. This vehicle comprises a thickening polymer and a surfactant. The thickening polymer is a nonionic polymer whose backbone is soluble in water and whose grafts are hydrophobic. It may be for example a cellulose ether which has been made hydrophobic. The surfactant may be a copolyol silicone.
However, this vehicle system limits the range of viscosities of the compositions obtained and does not make it possible to obtain gels which are clear in appearance. Moreover, the cosmetic properties obtained with this carrier remain inadequate, especially if the polymer concentration is increased in order to increase the thickening.
Thus, the need remains for a thickening system which makes it possible to thicken or even gel, in a suitable manner, in a very wide range of viscosities, a composition comprising an aqueous phase, without influencing the cosmetic properties of the said compositions.
The aim of the present invention is to provide such a thickening system which makes it possible, furthermore, to obtain an adequate thickening using a very small quantity of thickening amphiphilic polymer.
A subject of the present invention is therefore an aqueous composition comprising the combination of an amphiphilic polymer which contains at least one fatty chain and hydrophilic units, and of a polyoxyalkylenated silicone, the amphiphilic polymer not being a cellulose ether which has been made hydrophobic.
Another subject of the invention is the use of the combination of a polyoxyalkylenated silicone and of an amphiphilic polymer which contains at least one fatty chain and hydrophilic units, as thickening agent, in particular in a composition comprising an aqueous phase, the amphiphilic polymer not being a cellulose ether which has been made hydrophobic.
Finally, another subject of the invention is the use of a polyoxyalkylenated silicone for enhancing the thickening power of an amphiphilic polymer which contains at least one fatty chain and hydrophilic units in a composition comprising an aqueous phase, the amphiphilic polymer not being a cellulose ether which has been made hydrophobic.
It has therefore been observed that such a combination made it possible to obtain, in an aqueous medium, a high increase in the viscosity which may extend up to complete gelling of the medium.
It is therefore possible to arrive at the same degree of thickening, or even of gelling, using smaller quantities of amphiphilic polymer, while preserving good cosmetic properties. It should be noted that depending on the amphiphilic polymer and the quantities in which it is used in the presence of silicone, its use in the absence of polyoxyalkylenated silicone does not necessarily make it possible to obtain thickening of the medium.
The polyoxyalkylenated silicone/amphiphilic polymer interaction therefore makes it possible to very easily adjust the degree of viscosity of the medium simply by mixing, in proportions which can be adjusted at will.
Moreover, the cosmetic, and in particular hair, composition obtained is easy to spread, exhibits a better prehension, as well as a better removal on rinsing.
Without being held to this explanation, it is possible to consider that, within the framework of the invention, the increase in the viscosity of the medium results from a physical crosslinking between the polymer chains and the silicone, the said crosslinking being reversible and involving combinations or interactions of the hydrophobic type between, on the one hand, the hydrophobic groups of the amphiphilic polymer and, on the other hand, the hydrophobic sites of the silicone.
These hydrophobic-type interactions then lead to the gelling network.
The polymers capable of being used in the present invention are amphiphilic polymers which contain at least one fatty chain, therefore a hydrophobic part, and hydrophilic units, therefore a hydrophilic part.
The hydrophobic part may be in a small number compared with the rest of the polymeric chain, and may be situated on the side of the chain and may be distributed randomly (random copolymers) or may be distributed in the form of blocks or grafts (block copolymers).
It is possible to use water-soluble or water-dispersible polymers. Preferably, the amphiphilic polymers which are used according to the invention are not crosslinked.
The amphiphilic polymers may be of any chemical nature; it is thus possible to choose natural, optionally modified, polymers; radicular, in particular vinyl or acrylic, polymers; polycondensates; and mixtures thereof.
They may be ionic or nonionic, and are preferably anionic or nonionic.
The expression “hydrophobic chain” should be understood according to the invention to mean a linear or branched hydrocarbon group having from 8 to 28 carbon atoms capable of comprising heteroatoms such as oxygen, nitrogen or sulphur.
There may be mentioned in particular, among the amphiphilic polymers according to the invention, the polymers derived from the following natural polymers:
quaternized cationic celluloses modified by groups containing at least one fatty chain such as alkyl, arylalkyl or alkylaryl groups or mixtures thereof where the alkyl groups are preferably C
8
-C
22
, in particular quaternized alkylhydroxyethylcelluloses such as the products QUATRISOFT LM 200, QUATRISOFT LM-X 529-18-A, QUATRISOFT LM-X 529-18-B (C
12
alkyl) and QUATRISOFT LM-X 529-8 (C
18
alkyl) marketed by the company AMERCHOL and the products CRODACEL QM, CRODACEL QL (C
12
alkyl) and CRODACEL QS (C
18
alkyl) marketed by the company CRODA;
galactomannans possessing hydrophobic substituents, and in particular hydrophobic substituted guar gums (in particular those described in EP281360) and the hydroxypropylguar gums modified by groups containing at least one fatty chain such as the product ESAFLOR HM 22 (C
22
alkyl chain) marketed by the company LAMBERTI, the products MIRACARE XC95-3 (C
14
alkyl chain) and RE205-1 (C
20
alkyl chain) marketed by the company RHONE POULENC;
pullulons modified by hydrophobic groups, in particular cholesterol groups;
gelatins modified by hydrophobic groups, and in part
Dubief Claude
Dupuis Christine
L'Oreal
Lovering Richard D.
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