Silica Silylate Aerogel for Cosmetic Applications (30-Jan-2006)
Silica, both hydrophobic and hydrophilic forms, has been used in the personal care industry for many years to provide improved formulation benefits. These forms are readily available and provide beneficial properties such as rheology modification, absorption and antifoaming properties to formulations. The development of a unique form of hydrophobic silica by the Cabot Corporation has resulted in a material that has superior surface area to that of traditional hydrophobically treated silica and thus providing improved benefits to formulators. Researchers at the Dow Corning Corporation have observed that these silica silylate aerogels provide significant performance improvements over established cosmetic ingredients including, improved oil and sebum absorption when delivered from a cosmetic formulation, highly efficient thickening of oil phases, reduced syneresis and whitening of AP/Deo sticks, and improved fragrance retention.
Silica Silylate Aerogel for Cosmetic Applications
Silica is a formulation component broadly used in many applications including cosmetic formulations. The number of patents which claim utility as thickening agents, opacifying agents, abrasives, and absorbents demonstrates the abundant use and application benefits of silica in cosmetic preparations. Many varieties of silica exist including materials with surface modification or those mixed with other ingredients. Surface treatments of silica result in a wide range of performance benefits for various applications.
Silica silylate is a category of hydrophobically treated silica that has traditionally been used in many applications including: antifoaming agents, bulking agents, and as a skin care ingredients. The number of patents that claim benefits using hydrophobically modified silica are numerous as well.
A new type of silica silylate is available thanks to the technology of Cabot Corporation and Hoechst AG: Silica Silylate Aerogel. The manufacturing process for these materials results in a novel substance with remarkable properties.
- The first and most important physical property of the material is the significant surface area (600-800 m²/g). The extensive surface area is also evidenced by the high porosity of the materials (greater than 90%).
- The second notable characteristic of these materials is the quality of the trimethylsilylated hydrophobic coverage of the silica surface which allows for a permanent hydrophobicity and stability against hydrolysis and attack by water over a wide range of pH.
- A third advantage of the Aerogel technology is the possibility of obtaining material of different particle sizes, ranging from 1 millimeter beads to fine particles ranging in size between 5 and 15 microns.
These exceptional properties allow for interesting characteristics that can be utilized in Personal Care applications including:
- High oil absorption rate: The silica silylate Aerogel can absorb more than 10 times its weight in low molecular weight oils such as cyclomethicones and fragrances. Higher molecular weight oils can be absorbed up to 7-8 times the weight of the powder. Examples of these oils would include vitamins, organic oils, silicone oils, etc.
- High sebum absorption: The Aerogel has resulted in effective and lasting sebum absorption properties compared to other sebum absorbing powders that are promoted for this purpose (See Fig.1).
- Effective rheology modification as compared to silica silylate materials having lower surface area (See Figs. 2 & 3).
- Improved fragrance retention agent as compared to silica silylate materials having lower surface area (See Figs. 4 & 5).
- Reduced syneresis and whitening in antiperspirant...
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