SBIR Phase I: Amphiphilic Copolymers as Thickening Agents for Personal Care Products

这个小企业创新研究的第一阶段项目是针对个人护理产品的非离子增稠剂的开发，它不含聚乙二醇（PEG）。有报告指出，商业上可用的聚乙二醇含有少量不受欢迎的副产品。因此，迫切需要创造一种高效的“无peg”增稠剂。所提出的增稠剂结构是一种两亲性共聚物，使用一种被称为原子转移自由基聚合（ATRP）的强大聚合技术合成。在这个项目中，将合成一个系统的共聚物库，其中包括分子结构的变化，所使用的亲疏水基团的类型以及分子量。每种分子的增稠特性将在水溶液中测定，例如洗发精碱。预计性能最好的共聚物将在小于1%重量的浓度下有效增稠化妆品配方。从合成的聚合物文库中获得的信息将决定哪种共聚物应该优化，以扩大规模和商业化。该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是需要取代基于聚乙二醇的个人护理添加剂，因为有报道称这些材料在制造过程中含有有毒副产物，如1,4-二恶烷等。美国食品和药物管理局承认聚乙二醇是一种潜在的污染物来源，并从20世纪70年代末开始监测个人护理产品中1,4-二恶烷的含量。虽然目前市场上的产品含有少量的1,4-二恶烷，但消费者意识的提高促使一些公司考虑“不含peg”的替代品，特别是在更敏感的应用中。除个人护理和化妆品外，PEG还用于市场上所有的聚合物药物输送系统。对于这种类型的应用，即使是少量的有毒化合物也是不可接受的。本研究中用于开发PEG替代品的技术具有很大的潜力，也可用于开发新型药物输送系统。因此，该研究项目产生的产品预计将引起几个行业领域的相当大的关注。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is directed towards the development of a non-ionic thickening agent for personal care products, which does not contain poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). Reports have stated that commercially available PEG contains small levels of undesirable side products. Therefore, there is a strong need to create an efficient, "PEG-free" thickening agent. The proposed structure of the thickening agent is an amphiphilic copolymer, synthesized using a powerful polymerization technique known as atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). A systematic library of copolymers will be synthesized during this project, with variations in the architecture of the molecule, the type of hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups used, and the molecular weight. The thickening properties of each molecule will be determined in an aqueous solution, such as a shampoo base. It is expected that the best performing copolymers will efficiently thicken cosmetic formulations at concentrations of less than 1% by weight. The information obtained from the synthesized polymeric library will determine which copolymer should be optimized for scale-up and commercialization. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the need to replace PEG-based personal care additives, driven by reports that these materials contain toxic side products left after the manufacturing process, such as 1,4-dioxane, among others. The United States Food and Drug Administration recognizes PEG as a source of potential contaminants, and has monitored levels of 1,4-dioxane in personal care products since the late 1970s. Although current products on the market have minimal amounts of 1,4-dioxane, heightened consumer awareness is causing several companies to consider "PEG-free" alternatives, especially in more sensitive applications. Besides personal care and cosmetic products, PEG is also used in all polymeric drug delivery systems that are on the market. For this type of application, even small amounts of toxic compounds are unacceptable. The technology used in this proposed research to develop a PEG replacement has great potential to also be used in the development of novel drug delivery systems. Therefore, the product generated from this research project is expected to attract considerable attention from several areas of industry.