Polyquaternium-116 is a chemical compound, copolymer, the polymeric quaternary ammonium salt obtained from the reaction of Behenic Acid, Adipic Acid, Triethanolamine, Methyl Diethanolamine, quaternized with dimethyl sulfate.

The name describes the structure of the molecule

• "Poly" indicates a polymer structure, meaning many repeating units.
• "Quaternium" refers to the quaternary nature of nitrogen. These compounds have a nitrogen atom bonded to four different atoms, making them cationic or positively charged.
• "116" is a specific number that differentiates this particular variant of Polyquaternium from others. The number is a chronological reference of the registration date of this ingredient.

Description of raw materials used in production

The raw materials for the production of Polyquaternium-116 might include:

Monomers with cationic functional groups.

Compounds that can be quaternized, such as tertiary amines.

Alkylating agents like methyl chloride.

Step-by-step summary of its industrial chemical synthesis process. 

• Monomers are prepared and purified.
• Polymerization of the monomers is initiated in the presence of an initiator.
• During or after polymerization, any tertiary amine groups present in the polymer can be quaternized using an alkylating agent.
• The resulting polymer is purified to remove impurities or unreacted monomers.
• The final product is dried and formed into the desired shape, such as granules or powder.

It occurs as a colourless to light yellow liquid, soluble in water, insoluble in ester, hydrocarbons and ketone.

What it is used for and where

Cosmetics

It is a restricted ingredient as III/66 a Relevant Item in the Annexes of the European Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009. Substance or ingredient reported: Polyacrylamides. Maximum residual acrylamide content 0.1mg/kg (b) Maximum residual acrylamide content 0.5mg/kg.

Hair conditioning agent. A large number of ingredients with specific purposes can co-exist in a hair shampoo: cleansers, conditioners, thickeners, mattifying agents, sequestering agents, fragrances, preservatives, special additives. However, the indispensable ingredients are the cleansers and conditioners as they are necessary and sufficient for hair cleansing and manageability. The others act as commercial and non-essential auxiliaries such as: appearance, fragrance, colouring, etc. Hair conditioning agents have the task of increasing shine, manageability and volume, and reducing static electricity, especially after treatments such as colouring, ironing, waving, drying and brushing. They are, in practice, dispersing agents that may contain cationic surfactants, thickeners, emollients, polymers. The typology of hair conditioners includes: intensive conditioners, instant conditioners, thickening conditioners, drying conditioners.

Skin conditioning agent - Miscellaneous. This ingredient has the task of modifying the condition of the skin when it is damaged or dry by reducing its flakiness and restoring its elasticity.

Skin conditioning agent - Emollient. Emollients have the characteristic of enhancing the skin barrier through a source of exogenous lipids that adhere to the skin, improving barrier properties by filling gaps in intercorneocyte clusters to improve hydration while protecting against inflammation. In practice, they have the ability to create a barrier that prevents transepidermal water loss. Emollients are described as degreasing or refreshing additives that improve the lipid content of the upper layers of the skin by preventing degreasing and drying of the skin. The problem with emollients is that many have a strong lipophilic character and are identified as occlusive ingredients; they are oily and fatty materials that remain on the skin surface and reduce transepidermal water loss. In cosmetics, emollients and moisturisers are often considered synonymous with humectants and occlusives.