FSS Quaternized Rice Shine PF

Although trendy hairstyles and colors change on a fairly regular basis, one thing remains constant; we always want healthy, shiny hair! To make hair look healthy and shiny formulators often add proteins to shampoos, conditioners and styling products.

Although there are over 120,000 different varieties of rice the three most commonly used varieties are: indica, which is fluffy and high in amylose, japonica, which is sticky and low in amylose and lastly javanica, which is slightly sticky with an intermediate level of amylose. Amylose is a polysaccharide with in the rice granule.

Rice is comprised of approximately 8% protein. The protein is comprised of four dif­ferent sub-units, with the greatest concentration being glutelin, and then globulin, albumin and prolamin respectively with each constituent having different solubil­ity in liquids such as diluted acids, salt solutions, water and alcohol solutions. These sub-units have elastic and binding properties that make the pro­tein useful for a variety of applications such as film forming, moisturizing, emulsifying and strengthening.

To increase substantivity to the anionic hair shaft, proteins can be quaternized. Quaternized proteins contain a quaternary ammonium ion that is covalently attached to the polypeptide chain. Often referred to as quats, qua­ternary ammonium cations bind to the anionic hair shaft to improve shine and combability while decreasing static and tangles. The chemical structure of the quaternary ammonium group is a central nitrogen atom attached to four alkyl or aryl groups and a halogen (e.g. chlorine).

Quaternary ammonium ions are similar to ammonium salts yet they are capable of retaining cationic character in extremely basic environments. As ammonium salts are added to mixtures with a pH above 10, the nitrogen is deprotonated and the salt loses its functional charge. To further enhance the shine properties, the quaternized proteins can be cross-linked to create an aggregate with increased molecular weight. This allows the formation of a film with a higher refractive index than that of a typical quaternized protein. Addition­ally, the film formed by the protein may also seal in moisture to prevent desiccation that is often caused by styling tools such as hair dryers and curling/straightening irons.

FSS Quaternized Rice Shine PF consists of rice protein that is hydrolyzed to decrease pH and solubility reactivity issues. Chemical and enzymatic reactions are then used to bind the ammonium cations to rice hydrolysate thus creating a structure with cationic character; this increases the affinity that the positively charged protein has for the negatively charged hair shaft and skin cell. The hydrolysate is then cross-linked to increase the refractive index of FSS Quaternized Rice Shine PF, which further increases the shine benefits it has on the hair shaft.