Chemisty Corner: Natural Polymers, by Ryan Mader

Polymers are large organic molecules that are composed of a number of repeating units, or what can also be called a chain. Polymers can occur in nature or be synthesized in a laboratory. Synthetic polymers, commonly known as plastics, are generally produced commercially on a very large scale and have a plethora of uses.  

    

One of the simplest and most common synthetic polymers is Polyethylene. Polyethylene is made up of chains of repeating –CH₂– units and is used to form objects like milk cartons, shampoo bottles and plastic baggies. We encounter and rely on a wealth of synthetic polymers in our daily lives whether it’s the container housing our deodorant or a prosthetic heart valve.

How are natural polymers useful to us as cosmetic chemists and formulators? We rely on natural polymers daily in production, and in the research lab here at Essential Wholesale. Many of our ingredients boast this stable chain of repeating units. Some of the more common natural polymers cosmetic formulators use are xanthan gum, mannan, and hydroxyethyl cellulose. These ingredients, when in the presence of water, create a gelatinous matrix that can be used to thicken products or aid in product stability.

Natural polymers may even be the entire backbone of some products giving us an uncompromising result that still has a natural origin. Another natural polymer that we rely on daily is latex. That’s right! Latex is a natural polymer that is harvested from rubber trees in places like Southeast Asia.

With the boom in combinational chemistry, chemists have invented a copious amount of synthetic polymers. Fortunately for us, mother nature has provided an abundance of usefull natural polymers donning the properties we deem useful in cosmetic products.

Essentially,

 

Comments

[Kayla]

I saw pictures of them when Dennis and Keegan came back from India. I will have to find the picture and post it. Very interesting.

[Pure-N-Simple Soap]

Very interesting! Never heard of rubber trees before.