# US 11,026,869 B2 · Process for producing small droplet emulsions at low pressure

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- Number: US 11,026,869 B2
- Document ID: US11026869B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/094,077
- Filed: 2017-04-04
- Published: 2020-10-15
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-04-21
- Assignees: Conopco, Inc.
- Applicants: Conopco, Inc.
- Inventors: David John Lang; Congling Quan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11026869B2

## CPC

- A61K 8/068: {Microemulsions}
- A61K 8/062: {Oil-in-water emulsions}
- A61K 8/31: Hydrocarbons
- A61K 8/361: {Carboxylic acids having more than seven carbon atoms in an unbroken chain; Salts or anhydrides thereof}
- A61K 8/44: Aminocarboxylic acids or derivatives thereof, e.g. aminocarboxylic acids containing sulfur; Salts; Esters or N-acylated derivatives thereof
- A61K 8/922: {of vegetable origin}
- A61Q 19/10: Washing or bathing preparations
- A61K 2800/10: General cosmetic use
- A61K 2800/21: Emulsions characterized by droplet sizes below 1 micron
- A61K 2800/805: Corresponding aspects not provided for by any of codes A61K2800/81 - A61K2800/95
- A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D)
- A61Q: SPECIFIC USE OF COSMETICS OR SIMILAR TOILETRY PREPARATIONS

## Abstract

The present invention relates to novel process for making oil-in-water nanoemulsions. The oil phase contains oil selected from the group consisting of triglyceride oil and/or petrolatum and a C8 to C16 fatty acid just be added during preparation; and the aqueous phase contains specific N-acyl derivatives of carboxylic amino acid as primary emulsifier.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for making a nanoemulsion composition comprising:
a) an internal phase comprising (i) 55 to 75% by wt. of total nanoemulsion composition of oils selected from the group consisting of triglyceride, petrolatum and mixtures thereof, wherein the melting point of the petrolatum is 30 to 60° C.; and (ii) 1.1 to 8% by wt. nanoemulsion of a C8 to C18 fatty acid; and
b) an external aqueous phase comprising 2 to 15% by wt. of total nanoemulsion composition of a surfactant or surfactants which are N-acyl derivatives of amino acid salt;
wherein the surfactant of (b) comprises 50% or greater of all surfactant present in said external aqueous phase;
wherein the volume average diameter of droplets of (a) is 20 to 600 nanometers,
wherein said process comprises:
1) adding the C8 to C18 fatty acid of component (a)(ii) to oil of (a)(i);
2) heating oil phase (a) to a sufficient temperature so that all compounds are molten; and
3) Heating the aqueous phase to a temperature range of 45 to 75° C.; and
4) Simultaneously pumping the heated aqueous and oil phases via a sonolator or a conventional homogenizer using process pressure of 500 pounds per square inch (psi) or less.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein said surfactant or surfactants are selected from the group consisting of
(i) salt of N-acyl derivatives of dicarboxylic amino acid, wherein greater than 65% to 100% of the acyl group has chain length of C14 or less; and
(ii) salt of N-acyl derivatives of monocarboxylic amino acid, wherein 65% to 100% of the acyl group has chain length C14 or less; and
(iii) mixtures thereof.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The process according to claim 2, wherein the N-acyl derivative of dicarboxylic amino acid is a salt of acylglutamic acid, salt of acylaspartic acid or mixture thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The process according to claim 2, wherein the salt of N-acyl derivative of monocarboxylic amino acid is a salt of acylglycinate, salt of acylalaninate or mixture thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein volume average diameter of the droplets is 100 to 500 nm.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein volume average diameter of droplets is 70 to 400 nm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the oil is a triglyceride oil and said triglyceride oil is selected from the group consisting of soybean oil, sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, rapeseed oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, grape seed oil, fish oil and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the oil is petrolatum and the melting point of the petrolatum is 30 to 60° C.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the oil mixture is a mixture of triglyceride oil and petrolatum.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the fatty acid having a chain length C8-C18, is selected from the group consisting of lauric acid, myristic acid, coconut fatty acid and their mixtures, most preferably, lauric acid.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the fatty acid is at least 1.5 to 8% by wt. of total nanoemulsion.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the salts of acylglutamate acylaspartate, acylglycinate, and acylalaninate are sodium and/or potassium salts.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the nanoemulsion is prepared at pressure from a homogenizer or sonolator and said pressure is 150 to 450 psi.