Polymeric oil thickeners are useful oil soluble materials that have numerous potential personal care applications. The technologies available are very diverse and include polyesters, hydrophobically modified acrylates / cellulosics, polyolefin, and polyamides (EU: polyesters | acrylates | cellulosics | polyamides).
Typical uses include:
- Increase lipid deposition from shampoos and body washes.
- Make stable anhydrous sticks and gels.
- Improve gloss and shine in lipsticks
- Stabilize water in oil emulsions.
- Improve wear of colored cosmetics.
- Water proof formulations.
- Boost SPF
Recommended materials:
- Asensa CL 300 (Ethylene/VA Copolymer-MW 2500) and SC 401(Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer) by Honeywell.
(EU: Asensa CL 300 | SC 401) - Performalene 400 (Polyethylene-MW 400) and Performa V 103 (Synthetic Wax-MW 2900) by New Phase Technologies.
(EU: Performalene 400 | Performa V 103) - Syncrowax ORM (Sorbitol/Sebacic Acid Copolymer Behenate) from Croda is a polyester based wax that that is a anhydrous gellant and also has SPF enhancing benefits.
- Hostacerin DP (Dextrin Palmitate) from Clariant is a polymeric oil thickener which can gel oils and form clear hard sticks. Good thickening efficiency is seen with mineral oil, Squalane, Polyisobutene, and esters.
(EU: Clariant) - Rheopearl ISK2/ISL2 (Stearoyl Inulin) from Chiba Flour Milling Ltd can produce hard gels with non-polar materials like dimethicone, cyclomethicone, and hydrocarbon based esters.
- Ethyl cellulose from Dow Chemical and Ashland can be used to effectively gel polar oils such as fragrances.
(EU: Ashland) - Versagels from Calumet Penreco are a series of oil gels thickened using Kraton Polymers (Styrene/Propylene/Ethylene Copolymers) from Kraton Inc.
- Intellimer IPA 13-6 Polymer (Poly C10-30 alkyl acrylate) from Air Products and Chemicals has a non-tacky, non-greasy skin feel, has an MP of 65C, can thicken water in oil emulsions and can form anhydrous sticks at 10%.
(EU: Air Products and Chemicals) - ST-200 (long chain alkyl polyacrylate) from Nippon Shokubai is a polymeric wax with an MP of 46C that has excellent solubility in a wide range of polarity oils.
- Arizona Chemical (Croda) sells several polyamides for gelling nonpolar oils. These include OleoCraft LP-20, MP-30, HP-31, and MP-32. These are all amide terminated polyamides. Uniclear 100VG and C75V are ester terminated polyamides.
- Landec (marketed by Air Products) has developed a series of oil soluble polymers with fatty side chains (Intelimers) that exhibit a sharp change in crystalline properties with temperatures ranging from 0-100C. This change can be used to control adhesion, permeation, and viscosity. Commercialized products for personal care use include IPA 13-6 (poly C10-30 alkyl acrylate-MP 65C) and IPA 13-1 (poly C10-30 alkyl acrylate-MP 48C). Both materials are associative thickeners and will gel oil phases. IPA 13-1 will form excellent sticks at 10% using polar oils having a solubility parameter of around 8-12. These gels also have excellent skin feel and application properties.
(EU: Intelimers | IPA 13-6 | IPA 13-1)
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pls George,
which of the oil soluble polymers that can thicken with increase in temperature and loss thickeness when temp. decreases?
Need a thickner to use in a heavy aromatic process oil. The viscosity of our oils is at 20 to 30 cst at room temperature. We need to raise it to 90 to 120 cst at room temperature (75oF). can you help. our application will use over 20 million gal. of blended oil per year.
Probably the easiest way to do this is to use fumed silica
Good Day Mr.Deckner. I wish to thicken Acetone (and perhaps 10% Ethyl Acetate) into a gel containing a hydrocarbon solvent and wax. Carbomers do work but the required water content is too high for my application and neutralisation is too ionic for the hydrocarbon and its wax.Alcohols also reduce effectivity of end use so I’m trying to get as close to pure acetone as possible. I will be testing a less polar neutraliser but would appreciate any suggestions in this regard. Thanks , John
Hi, John:
Carbomers may gel 100% Acetone if you use Quadrol (BASF) or Ethomeen (NouryonC/25) as a neutralizer. Hydroxypropylcellulose may also gel Acetone.
Thanks for reading,
George
Dear George Dekner, what kaind of tech can i use for thicken white oils?
Hi, Andre.
You can use fumed silica or low molecular weight polyethylene.
Thanks for reading!
George
Dear George
I need a polymeric thickener to gel a mixture of kerosene and mineral oil.
I want to use this compound to produce automotive polish paste. It should be silicone freeو easy to clean and leave no trace of contamination after cleaning by Nano Fiber cloth.
what is your best suggestion?
Best Regard
Ali
Dear Ali:
Unfortunately, there are no good options.
Thanks for reading,
George
Hi George
I want to create a body oil that will suspend mica but close to natural or naturally derived as possible. What’s the best solution? Thank you In advance!
Dear Tracy:
Try using fumed silica.
Thanks for reading!
George