Capryloyl glycerin/sebacic acid copolymer is a chemical compound comprising sebacic acid, glycerine and coconut or castor oil.

Il nome definisce la struttura della molecola:

• Capryloyl refers to caprylic or octanoic acid, a fatty acid with a chain of 8 carbons. The suffix 'oyl' indicates that this molecule is in the form of an acyl group, i.e. it is bound to another molecule (in this case glycerine) via an ester bond.
• Glycerin, also known as glycerol, is a simple polyol compound. It is a colourless, odourless, viscous liquid with a sweet, non-toxic taste.
• Sebacic acid is a dicarboxylic acid with a chain of 10 carbon atoms. It is obtained from castor oil.
• Copolymer indicates that the polymer is composed of more than one type of monomer, in this case caprylic glycerine and sebacic acid.

A general idea of how such a copolymer could be synthesised based on common practices in polymer chemistry:

• Preparation of monomers. The first step is the preparation of the monomers. This could involve the purification of caprylic acid, glycerine and sebacic acid and, if necessary, their conversion to a more reactive form.
• Polymerisation. The monomers are mixed under controlled conditions to initiate the polymerisation process. This may involve heating the mixture to a certain temperature and adding a catalyst to accelerate the reaction. Caprylic acid and sebacic acid react with glycerine to form ester bonds, creating a long chain of repeated units - the polymer.
• Purification. At the end of polymerisation, the resulting polymer is purified to remove unreacted monomers and other impurities by washing the polymer with a solvent and drying it.
• Characterisation. The final step is to characterise the polymer to confirm its structure and properties. Different techniques can be used for this purpose, such as infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography.

It appears in the form of a viscous liquid

What it is used for and where

Cosmetics

This polymer has the function of creating a protective film on the epidermal layer and is a biodegradable emollient that can replace silicone emollients and dimethicone.

• Film-forming agent. It produces a continuous ultra-thin film with an optimal balance of cohesion, adhesion and stickiness on the skin or hair to counteract or limit damage from external phenomena such as chemicals, UV rays and pollution.
• Hair conditioning agent. A significant number of ingredients with specific and targeted purposes may co-exist in hair shampoo formulations: cleansers, conditioners, thickeners, matting agents, sequestering agents, fragrances, preservatives, special additives. However, the indispensable ingredients are the cleansers and conditioners as they are necessary and sufficient for hair cleansing and manageability. The others act as commercial and non-essential auxiliaries such as: appearance, fragrance, colouring, etc. Hair conditioning agents have the task of increasing shine, manageability and volume, and reducing static electricity, especially after treatments such as colouring, ironing, waving, drying and brushing. They are, in practice, dispersants that may contain cationic surfactants, thickeners, emollients, polymers. The typology of hair conditioning agents includes: intensive conditioners, instant conditioners, thickening conditioners, drying conditioners. They can perform their task generally accompanied by other different ingredients.
• Skin conditioning agent. It is the mainstay of topical skin treatment as it has the function of restoring, increasing or improving skin tolerance to external factors, including melanocyte tolerance. The most important function of the conditioning agent is to prevent skin dehydration, but the subject is rather complex and involves emollients and humectants that can be added in the formulation.
• Skin protectant. It creates a protective barrier on the skin to defend it from harmful substances, irritants, allergens, pathogens that can cause various inflammatory conditions. These products can also improve the natural skin barrier and in most cases more than one is needed to achieve an effective result.

Safety

It is considered safe for human health.

Typical commercial product characteristics Capryloyl glycerin/sebacic acid copolymer

• Molecular Formula     O(C₁₃-H₂₁-O₄)n.C₈-H₁₅-O       (C₁₀H₁₈O₄.C₃H₈O₃)x.xC₈H₁₆O₂
• Molecular Weight      438.5528
• CAS    1190099-88-7
• UNII  N7YC58165T

Synonyms:

• Decanedioic acid, polymer with 1,2,3-propanetriol, octanoate 
• Capryloyl glycerin/sebacic acid copolymer (2000 MPA.S)