Kaioli Flinder introduced in detail the technical solutions for better cosmetics 

In the process of developing cosmetics on a laboratory scale, it is common for many laboratories to perform most of the production steps individually and manually.

But it is much more convenient and easier to produce cosmetics or replicate the cosmetics production process on a smaller scale.

It is a more effective method to use a complete reactor system to control all necessary processes, and to develop new products or find solutions to problems in the production field at the same time.

IKA provides complete solutions for the cosmetics industry, from small-scale 500 ml to 4,000 liter reactor systems.

With laboratory reactor systems such as LR.2-ST and LR 1,000, the company integrates the most important processes required for cosmetics production into one device.

The reactor is specially designed for lipstick, lotion, shampoo, ointment, various creams, colloids (gel), eyeliner, mascara and other products.

Many processes have received attention during the development of cosmetics. This mainly includes stirring, homogenization, heating and cooling (temperature measurement and control), pH measurement, vacuum, torque measurement (viscosity) and data collection through software.

In many applications for cosmetic products the first step is to bring an oil- and water-phase (o/w; w/o) together and homogenize it to a degree that a stable emulsion is created, supported by a proper chosen emulsifying agent.

Generally, homogenizers such as Ultra Turrax T 25 digital can be used to deal with such challenges. By choosing the correct geometry of the rotor and stator of the dispersion tool, different degrees of fineness can be obtained, as low as 1 μm.

The rapidly rotating rotor of the dispersion tool creates a suction effect and forces the oil through the teeth of the stator.

The actual homogenization process takes place in the gap between the rotor and the stator. The shear rate depends on the circumferential speed and the size of the gap.

The higher the shear rate, the higher the energy introduced into the emulsion. The oil droplets get finer and finer, eventually reaching a size that can form a stable emulsion.

The emulsifier will stabilize the emulsion to prevent it from separating again.

The smaller the oil droplets, the more stable the emulsion. One of the most famous examples of emulsions is milk that uses lecithin as an emulsifier.

When the oil phase and the water phase are homogenized, the product is usually stirred at the same time to speed up the process and mix it most thoroughly in the reaction vessel.

When the viscosity of the product increases, it is particularly important to use a scraper on the mixing element inside the wall and bottom of the mixing container to keep the product in motion and move it back to the center of the container and away from the wall.

If other ingredients are added to a more viscous product, these ingredients should be evenly distributed throughout the product. This is particularly important when producing ointments and other medicines that contain active ingredients.

Heating and cooling allow the user to first heat the oil phase, which can also be a wax that is solid at room temperature. There is no need to separately heat the oil phase on the heating plate or magnetic stirrer, it can be carried out directly in the reactor system.

At the end of the product formulation, it is usually cooled to room temperature.

By using a double-walled glass reactor vessel, it is easy and convenient to use an oil or water thermostat to heat and cool the product, depending on the temperature required. If you connect a thermostat to a temperature sensor placed in the product inside the reactor, you can control the oil temperature around the product in the most accurate way.

Cosmetics exhibit changes in viscosity during the production process. These allow for further explanation of the product's comparison with other batches, behavior, stability, and sensitivity to certain influencing variables that can be changed.

Viscosity measurement requires removing the sample material from the container during the process and does not allow continuous interpretation.

The Eurostar control agitator allows these changes to be monitored during the actual process of producing cosmetics or pharmaceuticals. By interpreting the motor power required by the stirrer (motor) as a change in viscosity, the reaction of the product to, for example, heating or cooling rates can be made visible.

When looking at high-viscosity products (such as ointments) or especially colloids (gels), vacuum is "essential". It turns out that removing air bubbles from the product is a very difficult and time-consuming task.

Use vacuum during and/or after the production process, sometimes with slow stirring, to minimize or even avoid the influence of air in the product.

In addition to all the above-mentioned characteristics of laboratory reactors, different types of applications require further requirements.

These include, for example, the flexibility of pH measurement and reactor connection to other accessories (reflux coolers, metering devices, etc.).

There are a large number of possible requirements, which is why IKA reactors are equipped with standard accessories NS 29 and NS 18-so they can be installed in almost any application.

Labworldsoft software can collect all measurement data. The software allows control of the reactor system and programs such as storage, display and export to Microsoft Excel.

Flexibility is one of the characteristics required today. Users expect their machines to adapt to the rapidly changing requirements of product development. The design of these reactor systems provides this flexibility.

Kai-Oliver Linde and IKA Werke together.

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