What is "polyquaternium"

n. (context chemistry English) Any of a several classes of polymers having quaternary ammonium functional groups; they act as surfactants in shampoos and various hair products

Polyquaternium is the International Nomenclature for Cosmetic Ingredients designation for several polycationic polymers that are used in the personal care industry. Polyquaternium is a neologism used to emphasize the presence of quaternary ammonium centers in the polymer. INCI has approved at least 37 different polymers under the polyquaternium designation. Different polymers are distinguished by the numerical value that follows the word "polyquaternium". Polyquaternium-5, polyquaternium-7, and polyquaternium-47 are three examples, each a chemically different type of polymer. The numbers are assigned in the order in which they are registered rather than because of their chemical structure.

Polyquaterniums find particular application in conditioners, shampoo, hair mousse, hair spray, hair dye, and contact lens solutions. Because they are positively charged, they neutralize the negative charges of most shampoos and hair proteins and help hair lie flat. Their positive charges also ionically bond them to hair and skin. Some have antimicrobial properties.

List of Polyquaterniums

Polyquaternium

Chemical Identity

Polyquaternium-1

Ethanol, 2,2',2 ' ' -nitrilotris-, polymer with 1,4-dichloro-2-butene and N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-2-butene-1,4-diamine

Polyquaternium-2

Poly[bis(2-chloroethyl) ether-alt-1,3-bis[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]urea]

Polyquaternium-4

Hydroxyethyl cellulose dimethyl diallylammonium chloride copolymer; Diallyldimethylammonium chloride-hydroxyethyl cellulose copolymer

Polyquaternium-5

Copolymer of acrylamide and quaternized dimethylammoniumethyl methacrylate

Polyquaternium-6

Poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)

Polyquaternium-7

Copolymer of acrylamide and diallyldimethylammonium chloride

Polyquaternium-8

Copolymer of methyl and stearyl dimethylaminoethyl ester of methacrylic acid, quaternized with dimethylsulphate

Polyquaternium-9

Homopolymer of N,N-(dimethylamino)ethyl ester of methacrylic acid, quaternized with bromomethane

Polyquaternium-10

Quaternized hydroxyethyl cellulose

Polyquaternium-11

Copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone and quaternized dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate

Polyquaternium-12

Ethyl methacrylate / abietyl methacrylate / diethylaminoethyl methacrylate copolymer quaternized with dimethyl sulfate

Polyquaternium-13

Ethyl methacrylate / oleyl methacrylate / diethylaminoethyl methacrylate copolymer quaternized with dimethyl sulfate

Polyquaternium-14

Trimethylaminoethylmethacrylate homopolymer

Polyquaternium-15

Acrylamide-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate methyl chloride copolymer

Polyquaternium-16

Copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone and quaternized vinylimidazole

Polyquaternium-17

Adipic acid, dimethylaminopropylamine and dichloroethylether copolymer

Polyquaternium-18

Azelanic acid, dimethylaminopropylamine and dichloroethylether copolymer

Polyquaternium-19

Copolymer of polyvinyl alcohol and 2,3-epoxypropylamine

Polyquaternium-20

Copolymer of polyvinyl octadecyl ether and 2,3-epoxypropylamine

Polyquaternium-22

Copolymer of acrylic acid and diallyldimethylammonium Chloride

Polyquaternium-24

Qquaternary ammonium salt of hydrxXyethyl cellulose reactedwWith a lauryl dimethyl ammonium substituted epoxid.

Polyquaternium-27

Block copolymer of Polyquaternium-2 and Polyquaternium-17

Polyquaternium-28

Copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone and methacrylamidopropyl trimethylammonium

Polyquaternium-29

Chitosan modified with propylen oxide and quaternized with epichlorhydrin

Polyquaternium-30

Ethanaminium, N-(carboxymethyl)-N,N-dimethyl-2-[(2-methyl-1-oxo-2-propen-1-yl)oxy]-, inner salt, polymer with methyl 2-methyl-2-propenoate

Polyquaternium-31

N,N- dimethylaminopropyl-N-acrylamidine quatemized with diethylsulfate bound to a block of polyacrylonitrile

Polyquaternium-32

Poly(acrylamide 2-methacryloxyethyltrimethyl ammonium chloride)

Polyquaternium-33

Copolymer of trimethylaminoethylacrylate salt and acrylamide

Polyquaternium-34

Copolymer of 1,3-dibromopropane and N,N-diethyl-N',N'-dimethyl-1,3-propanediamine

Polyquaternium-35

Methosulphate of the copolymer of methacryloyloxyethyltrimethylammonium and of methacryloyloxyethyldimethylacetylammonium

Polyquaternium-36

Copolymer of N,N-dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate and buthylmethacrylate, quaternized with dimethylsulphate

Polyquaternium-37

Poly(2-methacryloxyethyltrimethylammonium chloride)

Polyquaternium-39

Terpolymer of acrylic acid, acrylamide and diallyldimethylammonium Chloride

Polyquaternium-42

Poly[oxyethylene(dimethylimino)ethylene (dimethylimino)ethylene dichloride]

Polyquaternium-43

Copolymer of acrylamide, acrylamidopropyltrimonium chloride, 2-amidopropylacrylamide sulfonate and dimethylaminopropylamine

Polyquaternium-44

3-Methyl-1-vinylimidazolium methyl sulfate-N-vinylpyrrolidone copolymer

Polyquaternium-45

Copolymer of (N-methyl-N-ethoxyglycine)methacrylate and N,N-dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate, quaternized with dimethyl sulphate

Polyquaternium-46

Terpolymer of vinylcaprolactam, vinylpyrrolidone, and quaternized vinylimidazole

Polyquaternium-47

Terpolymer of acrylic acid, methacrylamidopropyl trimethylammonium chloride, and methyl acrylate