Is Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer natural? NOI 0.08

Q: Is Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer natural?

Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer has a Natural Origin Index (NOI) of 0.08 (scale 0–1) per ISO 16128. A petrochemical acrylate thickener backbone carrying a minor fatty-alcohol/ethoxylate macromonomer; overall mostly petrochemical. An NOI of 0.08 means 8% of its molecular mass is traceable to a natural, renewable source.

How we scored it

Assume ~3 mol% Steareth-20 methacrylate macromonomer (MW~1200, NOI 0.23) + ~97 mol% acrylates (MW~72, NOI 0.0): mass ~34% macromonomer/66% acrylate; 0.34x0.23=0.08.

What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Made by copolymerizing petrochemical acrylic/methacrylic acid esters with a small amount of Steareth-20 methacrylate, a stearyl-alcohol macromonomer extended with petrochemical ethylene oxide. The exact monomer ratio was not given, so a typical associative-thickener composition is assumed.

In plain English

A synthetic thickening polymer combining acrylic acid building blocks with a small amount of a fatty-alcohol/ethylene-oxide chain. Thickens water-based gels and lotions.

CosIng definition: Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer is a copolymer of the ester of methacrylic acid and Steareth-20 (q.v.) and one or more monomers of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid or one of their simple esters

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References

1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
2ACRYLATES/STEARETH-20 METHACRYLATE COPOLYMER. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
3ACRYLATES/STEARETH-20 METHACRYLATE COPOLYMER. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ACRYLATES/STEARETH-20%20METHACRYLATE%20COPOLYMER