Acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate cross polymer is a chemical compound, cross-linked copolymer.

It appears as a soft white powder, soluble in water in its raw form, but in cosmetics and personal care products it is usually included in a solution or emulsion. The properties of the final product may vary depending on the specific formulation.

Acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate cross polymer is a term used in the cosmetics industry to refer to a class of copolymers formed from various C10-30 alkyl acrylates (esters of acrylic acid), cross-linked with an allyl pentaerythritol ether or an allyl sucrose ether.

The name describes the structure of the molecule:

• Acrylates - Indicates the presence of monomers derived from acrylic acid in the molecule.
• C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate - This part of the name suggests that the polymer contains acrylate monomers with alkyl chains varying in length from 10 to 30 carbon atoms.
• Cross Polymer - Indicates that the polymer is crosslinked, meaning it has bonds connecting the polymer chains together, forming a three-dimensional structure.

Description of the raw materials used in its production:

• Acrylate Monomers are chemical compounds derived from acrylic acid. They are used as the base material for the copolymer and contribute to its ability to thicken and stabilize cosmetic formulations
• C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Monomers are derived from fatty alcohols with carbon chains ranging from C10 to C30. These monomers help enhance the emollient and emulsifying properties of the copolymer.

Industrial chemical synthesis step-by-step:

• Preparation of Acrylate Monomers - Acrylate monomers are prepared through chemical reactions involving acrylic acid or its derivatives. These reactions result in the formation of acrylate esters with varying properties and carbon chain lengths.
• Preparation of C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Monomers - C10-30 alkyl acrylate monomers are derived from fatty alcohols through chemical reactions with acrylic acid or its derivatives. The alkyl groups in these monomers provide different characteristics to the copolymer.
• Copolymerization - Acrylate monomers and C10-30 alkyl acrylate monomers are combined and subjected to a polymerization process. During this reaction, the monomers link together to form the Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer copolymer.
• Purification - The copolymer obtained from the polymerization process is purified to remove any impurities and by-products. This can be achieved through filtration and other purification methods.
• Drying and Packaging - The purified Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is dried to remove residual moisture and then packaged for distribution and use in the cosmetic and personal care industry.

What it is used for and where

Polymeric thickeners have been used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products for decades. They are primarily rheological modifiers, which change the physical properties of a system and, in suspension components, the rate of migration.

Acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate cross polymer has an excellent electrolyte tolerance, which allows high surfactants to be stabilised and insoluble ingredients to be suspended.

Pharmaceuticals

The inclusion of C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer in pharmaceutical formulations makes oil-in-water emulsions of organic oils more stable where emulsion stability is a product quality priority. It has been observed that the inclusion of this chemical compound in pharmaceutical emulsions containing a limited number of additives influences and improves the droplet size distribution in oil/water emulsions (1). 

Cosmetics

• Emulsion stabiliser. Emulsions are thermodynamically unstable. Emulsion stabilisers improve the formation and stability of single and double emulsions. as well as their shelf-life. It should be noted that in the structure-function relationship, the molar mass of the ingredient used plays an important role.
• Film-forming agent. It produces, upon application, a very thin continuous film with an optimal balance of cohesion, adhesion and stickiness on skin, hair or nails to counteract or limit damage from external phenomena such as chemicals, UV rays and pollution.
• Viscosity control agent. It controls and adapts, Increasing or decreasing, viscosity to the required level for optimal chemical and physical stability of the product and dosage in gels, suspensions, emulsions, solutions. 

Acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate cross polymer is predominantly used as a thickener, co-thickener or polymeric emulsifier in facial and body cleansing cosmetics to improve viscosity at pH 5.5. The amount included in the formula is typically 0.2% w/w in emulsions It usually interacts with non-ionic surfactants (2).

The most relevant studies on this chemical compound have been selected with a summary of their contents:

C10-30 alkyl acrylate cross polymer studies

Typical optimal commercial product characteristics C10-30 alkyl acrylate cross polymer

Synonyms:

• C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer
• Acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer

References____________________________________________________________________

(1) Kizeviciene E, Jonaitiene L, Peciura R. EVALUATION OF ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSS- POLYMER MIXTURE EFFECTIVENESS ON O/W TYPE EMULSION FORMULATION. Acta Pol Pharm. 2017 May;74(3):937-943. 

(2) Simovic S, Tamburic S, Milic-Askrabic J, Rajic D. An investigation into interactions between polyacrylic polymers and a non-ionic surfactant: an emulsion preformulation study. Int J Pharm. 1999 Jul 20;184(2):207-17. doi: 10.1016/s0378-5173(99)00097-6.