A biobased feedstock renaissance: Improving ingredient sustainability and functionality with castor-derived precursors
Dr Michael J. Fevola - Inolex Inc

Presentation - pdf

Abstract
As manufacturers of cosmetics and personal care formulations strive to meet sustainability goals and simultaneously satisfy consumer demand for more “natural” products, they are compelled to source safe, plant-based ingredients that minimize negative impacts to the environment throughout the supply chain. Controversy associated with palm-based feedstocks has motivated the utilization of alternative plant-derived starting materials for ingredient synthesis. Ricinus communis (castor) oil is an especially attractive feedstock as it yields a diverse set of molecular building blocks, including 2-octanol, sebacic acid, heptanoic acid, heptyl alcohol, and undecylenic acid, which are readily converted into sustainable high-performance ingredients.
This presentation will review how INOLEX has applied the principles of green chemistry and life cycle thinking in a holistic fashion to convert castor-derived precursors into unique 100% biobased ethers, esters, and polyesters that improve product attributes and performance. Etherification of 2-octanol yields Methylheptylglycerin (MHG), a branched C8 alkyl glyceryl ether that prevents “soaping”, i.e. the whitening effect observed upon application of O/W emulsions to skin, and contributes to preservation efficacy. Copolymerization of sebacic acid with glycerin yields aliphatic polyesters that are readily biodegradable due to the enzymatically labile ester bonds comprising the polymer backbone. Such copolymers are end-capped with biobased fatty acids to yield ingredients, e.g. Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, that are useful as film formers and silicone alternatives.

Michael J. Fevola is Vice President, Head of R&D at INOLEX, a leading global specialty ingredients company headquartered in Philadelphia, PA with locations in ten countries. He is responsible for defining the R&D vision and strategy, overseeing new product pipeline and end-to-end innovation workflows, recruiting and developing technical talent, and partnering with the Marketing, Sales, and Operations organizations to deliver against the INOLEX corporate mission and growth objectives.Previously, Mike was a Research Director & Fellow in Global Beauty R&D at Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., where he led the Sun Care and Body Care Upstream Innovation teams. During his time with J&J Consumer he held positions of increasing responsibility across the R&D organization, where he drove the invention and development of technologies that have been commercialized to generate cumulative product sales exceeding $250,000,000.
Mike holds a Ph.D. in Polymer Science & Engineering from the University of Southern Mississippi and a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Delaware. He is an inventor on 32 issued US patents and is a coauthor of 18 peer-reviewed publications, in addition to many contributions to industry trade journal Cosmetics & Toiletries. Mike is a two-time winner of the J&J Philip B. Hofmann Research Scientist Award, and was twice awarded the Johnson Medal for Research & Development, the most prestigious scientific recognition at J&J.
Mike serves as Chair of the Personal Care Products Council’s International Nomenclature Committee, and he has previously served as a member of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists’ Committee on Scientific Affairs and as Editor of the Journal of Cosmetic Science.

Q&A (answered in chat)

Q. What scale can you make the castor oil derivatives on?

A. Batches can be made at 10 MT and 25 MT scale

Q. Do you see any molecules that act as emulsifier ?

A. Our preferred feedstock for ingredients with emulsification benefits is brassica (rapeseed), it is the platform feedstock for glyceryl esters and amino lipids that provide emulsification and structuring (lamellar LC).  We prefer the C18-C22 distribution for this purpose.  Castor is good for the C7, sec-C8, and C11 chains

Q. What HLB values do the Brassica give please?

A. We find as long as the system is forming lamellar LCs (maltese crosses in polarized light micrographs), HLB tends not to matter much