Uv-protective compositions and their use

Abstract

Disclosed are compositions comprising inorganic UV-absorbing agents and the use of such compositions, in particular for protecting a subject or the surface of an inanimate object against a harmful effect of ultraviolet radiation.

1 . A UV-protective composition which comprises particles of at least one inorganic UV-absorbing agent selected from the group consisting of (i) barium titanate (BaTiO 3 ) and (ii) bismuth vanadate (BiVO 4 ), and which optionally comprises particles of an additional inorganic UV-absorbing agent selected from the group consisting of (iii) bismuth oxide (Bi2O 3 ) and (iv) doped zinc oxide (ZnO). 
     
     
         2 . The UV-protective composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one inorganic UV-absorbing agent is present in the composition as nanoparticles having at least one dimension of up to about 100 nm and said additional inorganic UV-absorbing agent, if included, is present in the composition as nanoparticles having at least one dimension of up to about 100 nm. 
     
     
         3 . The UV-protective composition according to  claim 1  or  claim 2 , wherein at least 50%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 97.5% or at least 99% of the number or of the volume of nanoparticles of the inorganic UV-absorbing agent(s) and/or of the additional inorganic UV-absorbing agent(s), if included, present in the composition have each independently at least one dimension of up to about 100 nm. 
     
     
         4 . The UV-protective composition of  claim 3 , wherein at least 90% of the number or the volume of nanoparticles of the inorganic UV-absorbing agent(s) and/or of the additional inorganic UV-absorbing agent(s), if included, present in the composition have each independently at least one dimension of up to about 100 nm. 
     
     
         5 . The UV-protective composition of  claim 4 , wherein at least 95% of the number or the volume of nanoparticles of the inorganic UV-absorbing agent(s) and/or of the additional inorganic UV-absorbing agent(s), if included, present in the composition have each independently at least one dimension of up to about 100 nm. 
     
     
         6 . The UV-protective composition of  claim 5 , wherein at least 97.5% of the number or the volume of nanoparticles of the inorganic UV-absorbing agent(s) and/or of the additional inorganic UV-absorbing agent(s), if included, present in the composition have each independently at least one dimension of up to about 100 nm. 
     
     
         7 . The UV-protective composition of  claim 6 , wherein at least 99% of the number or the volume of nanoparticles of the inorganic UV-absorbing agent(s) and/or of the additional inorganic UV-absorbing agent(s), if included, present in the composition have each independently at least one dimension of up to about 100 nm. 
     
     
         8 . The UV-protective composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  7 , wherein the composition contains less than 10 wt. %, less than 5 wt. %, less than 4 wt. %, less than 3 wt. %, less than 2 wt. %, less than 1 wt. %, less than 0.5 wt. %, less than 0.1 wt. % or less than 0.05 wt. % organic ultraviolet-absorbing agent(s). 
     
     
         9 . The UV-protective composition of  claim 8 , wherein the composition is generally devoid, considerably devoid, significantly devoid, substantially devoid, essentially devoid, substantively devoid or devoid of an organic ultraviolet-absorbing agent. 
     
     
         10 . The UV-protective composition of any one of  claims 1  to  9 , wherein the combined amount of said at least one inorganic UV-absorbing agent and said optional at least one additional inorganic UV-absorbing agent in the composition is at a concentration in the range of from about 0.001% to about 40% (w/w) of the composition. 
     
     
         11 . The UV-protective composition of  claim 10 , wherein the combined amount of said at least one inorganic UV-absorbing agent(s) and said optional additional inorganic UV-absorbing agent(s) constitutes at least 0.001 wt. %, 0.01 wt. %, at least 0.1 wt. %, at least 0.5 wt. %, at least 1 wt. %, at least 2 wt. %, at least 3 wt. %, at least 4 wt. %, at least 5 wt. %, at least 10 wt. %, at least 15 wt. %, at least 20 wt. %, at least 25 wt. %, at least 30 wt. %, or at least 35 wt. % of the composition. 
     
     
         12 . The UV-protective composition of any one of  claims 8  to  11 , wherein the combined amount of said at least one inorganic UV-absorbing agent(s) and said optional additional inorganic UV-absorbing agent(s) constitutes at most 40 wt. %, at most 35 wt. %, at most 30 wt. %, at most 25 wt. %, at most 20 wt. %, at most 15 wt. %, at most 10 wt. %, at most 5 wt. %, at most 4 wt. %, at most 3 wt. %, at most 2 wt. %, at most 1 wt. %, at most 0.5 wt. %, or at most 0.1 wt. % of the composition. 
     
     
         13 . The UV-protective composition of any one of  claims 1  to  12 , wherein the inorganic UV-absorbing agent(s) and, if included, the additional inorganic UV-absorbing agent(s) constitute the only ultraviolet-absorbing agents in the composition. 
     
     
         14 . The UV-protective composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  13 , further comprising metallic silver particles. 
     
     
         15 . The UV-protective composition according to  claim 14 , wherein said silver particles comprise silver nanoparticles having at least one dimension of up to about 50 nm, at least one dimension of up to about 40 nm, or at least one dimension of up to about 30 nm. 
     
     
         16 . The UV-protective composition of  claim 14 , wherein said silver nanoparticles have at least one dimension in the range of from about 10 nm to up to about 50 nm. 
     
     
         17 . The UV-protective composition according to any one of  claims 14  to  16 , wherein at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 97.5% or at least 99% of the number or the volume of the silver particles present in the composition have at least one dimension of up to about 50 nm. 
     
     
         18 . The UV-protective composition according to any one of  claims 14  to  17 , wherein the silver particles are present in the composition at a concentration in the range of from about 0.01% to about 10% (w/w) of the total composition. 
     
     
         19 . The UV-protective composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  18 , wherein the composition is in a form selected from the group consisting of an aerosol, a cream, an emulsion, a gel, a lotion, a mousse, a paste, a liquid coat or a spray. 
     
     
         20 . The UV-protective composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  19 , wherein the composition is formulated as one of the following: (a) a sunscreen composition for application to human or non-human animal skin; (b) a composition for application to human or non-human animal hair; (c) a composition for application to an inanimate surface. 
     
     
         21 . The UV-protective composition of  claim 20 , wherein the composition is formulated as a sunscreen composition for application to human skin and is in a form selected from the group consisting of an aerosol, a cream, an emulsion, a gel, a lotion, a mousse, a paste, and a liquid. 
     
     
         22 . The UV-protective composition of  claim 20 , wherein the composition is in the form of a hair-care product selected from the group consisting of a shampoo, a conditioner and a hair mask. 
     
     
         23 . The UV-protective composition of  claim 20  which is formulated as a varnish or a lacquer for application to an inanimate surface. 
     
     
         24 . The UV-protective composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  19 , for use in (a) protecting a subject against a harmful effect of ultraviolet radiation; (b) protecting the skin of a subject against a harmful effect of ultraviolet radiation; (c) protecting the hair of a subject against a harmful effect of ultraviolet radiation; or (d) protecting the inanimate surface of an object against a harmful effect of ultraviolet radiation. 
     
     
         25 . The UV-protective composition according any one of  claims 1  to  19  for use according to  claim 24 , wherein the composition is for protecting the skin of a subject against a harmful effect of ultraviolet radiation and the composition is in the form of a skin-care product. 
     
     
         26 . The UV-protective composition according any one of  claims 1  to  19  for use according to  claim 24 , wherein the composition is for protecting the hair of a subject against a harmful effect of ultraviolet radiation and the composition is in the form of a hair-care product selected from the group consisting of a shampoo, a conditioner and a hair mask. 
     
     
         27 . The UV-protective composition according any one of  claims 1  to  19  for use according to  claim 24 , wherein the composition is for protecting the inanimate surface of an object against a harmful effect of ultraviolet radiation and the composition is in the form of a lacquer or varnish. 
     
     
         28 . The UV-protective composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  19  for use according to any one of  claims 24  to  27 , wherein the subject is a human subject. 
     
     
         29 . The UV-protective composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  19  for use according to any one of  claims 24  to  28 , wherein protecting against ultraviolet radiation comprises protecting against ultraviolet A radiation and ultraviolet B radiation. 
     
     
         30 . The UV-protective composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  29 , wherein the composition has a critical wavelength of at least 370 nm. 
     
     
         31 . The UV-protective composition of  claim 30  which has a critical wavelength of 371 nm, 372 nm, 373 nm, 374 nm, 375 nm, 376 nm, 377 nm, 378 nm, 379 nm, 380 nm, 381 nm, 382 nm, 383 nm, 384 nm, 385 nm, 386 nm, 387 nm, 388 nm, 389 nm, 390 nm, 391 nm, 392 nm, or greater than 392 nm. 
     
     
         32 . The UV-protection composition of any one of  claims 1  to  29  wherein the area under the curve (AUC) formed by the UV-absorption of the agent as a function of wavelength in the range of 280 nm to 400 nm (AUC 280-400 ) is at least 75%, at least 85% or at least 95% of the AUC formed by the same agent at the same concentration in the range of 280 nm to 700 nm (AUC 280-700 ). 
     
     
         33 . A method of protecting a surface from UV radiation, comprising applying to said surface an efficacious amount of a composition according to any one of  claims 1  to  32 . 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the surface is skin. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the surface is hair. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the surface is an inanimate surface. 
     
     
         37 . A UV-protective composition comprising nanoparticles of at least one inorganic UV-absorbing agent selected from the group consisting of (i) barium titanate (BaTiO 3 ) and (ii) bismuth vanadate (BiVO 4 );
 wherein said inorganic UV-absorbing agent has a median particle diameter, on a particle number basis (D N 50), of at most 80 nm, or wherein at least 50% of the number of said nanoparticles of said at least one inorganic UV-absorbing agent have at least one dimension of at most 80 nm;   and wherein a critical wavelength of said inorganic UV-absorbing agent is within a range of 330 to 400 nm.   
     
     
         38 . The UV-protective composition of  claim 37 , wherein an area under the curve formed by UV-absorbance of a particular one of said inorganic UV-absorbing agent, as a function of wavelength in a range of 280 nm to 400 nm (AUC 280-400 ), is at least 75% of the AUC formed by said particular one of said inorganic UV-absorbing agent, at the same concentration, in a range of 280 nm to 700 nm (AUC 280-700 ). 
     
     
         39 . The UV-protective composition of  claim 38 , wherein said AUC 280-400  is at least 85% of said AUC 280-700 . 
     
     
         40 . The UV-protective composition of  claim 38 , wherein said AUC 280-400  is at least 90% of said AUC 280-700 . 
     
     
         41 . The UV-protective composition of any one of  claims 37  to  40 , further comprising a neutralized polyacrylic acid. 
     
     
         42 . The UV-protective composition of  claim 41 , wherein a weight ratio of said neutralized polyacrylic acid to said inorganic UV-absorbing agent is within a range of 1:2 to 2:1. 
     
     
         43 . The UV-protective composition of  claim 41  or  42 , wherein at least a portion of said neutralized polyacrylic acid is attached to, or at least partially envelops, said at least one inorganic UV-absorbing agent. 
     
     
         44 . The UV-protective composition of any one of  claims 37  to  43 , wherein an overall polydispersity index (PDI) of said barium titanate is within a range of 0.13 to 0.35. 
     
     
         45 . The UV-protective composition of any one of  claims 37  to  44 , wherein an overall polydispersity index (PDI) of said barium titanate is within a range of 0.13 to 0.25. 
     
     
         46 . The UV-protective composition of any one of  claims 37  to  45 , wherein said critical wavelength of said inorganic UV-absorbing agent is at least 345 nm. 
     
     
         47 . The UV-protective composition of any one of  claims 37  to  45 , wherein said critical wavelength of said inorganic UV-absorbing agent is at least 360 nm. 
     
     
         48 . The UV-protective composition of any one of  claims 37  to  45 , wherein said critical wavelength of said inorganic UV-absorbing agent is at least 370 nm. 
     
     
         49 . The UV-protective composition of any one of  claims 37  to  48 , wherein said inorganic UV-absorbing agent includes said bismuth vanadate, and wherein said critical wavelength of said bismuth vanadate is at least 380 nm. 
     
     
         50 . The UV-protective composition of any one of  claims 37  to  49 , wherein said inorganic UV-absorbing agent includes barium titanate, and wherein said critical wavelength of said barium titanate is at least 360 nm. 
     
     
         51 . The UV-protective composition of any one of  claims 37  to  50 , wherein said D N 50 is at most 70 nm. 
     
     
         52 . The UV-protective composition of  claim 51 , wherein said D N 50 is at most 60 nm. 
     
     
         53 . The UV-protective composition of  claim 46 , wherein said inorganic UV-absorbing agent includes barium titanate, and wherein said critical wavelength of said barium titanate is at most 390 nm or at most 380 nm. 
     
     
         54 . A UV-protective composition comprising nanoparticles of at least one inorganic UV-absorbing agent selected from the group consisting of (i) barium titanate (BaTiO 3 ) and (ii) bismuth vanadate (BiVO 4 );
 wherein said inorganic UV-absorbing agent has a median particle diameter, on a particle number basis (D N 50), of at most 80 nm, or wherein at least 50% of the number of said nanoparticles of said at least one inorganic UV-absorbing agent have at least one dimension of at most 80 nm;   wherein a critical wavelength of said inorganic UV-absorbing agent is within a range of 330 to 400 nm;   and wherein an area under the curve formed by UV-absorbance of a particular one of said inorganic UV-absorbing agent, as a function of wavelength in a range of 280 nm to 400 nm (AUC 280-400 ), is at least 75%, at least 80%, or at least 85% of the AUC formed by said particular one of said inorganic UV-absorbing agent, at the same concentration, in a range of 280 nm to 700 nm (AUC 280-700 ).   
     
     
         55 . A UV-protective composition comprising nanoparticles of at least one inorganic UV-absorbing agent selected from the group consisting of (i) barium titanate (BaTiO 3 ) and (ii) bismuth vanadate (BiVO 4 );
 wherein said inorganic UV-absorbing agent has a median particle diameter, on a particle number basis (D N 50), of at most 80 nm, or wherein at least 50% of the number of said nanoparticles of said at least one inorganic UV-absorbing agent have at least one dimension of at most 80 nm;   wherein a critical wavelength of said inorganic UV-absorbing agent is within a range of 330 to 400 nm;   wherein an area under the curve formed by UV-absorbance of a particular one of said inorganic UV-absorbing agent, as a function of wavelength in a range of 280 nm to 400 nm (AUC 280-400 ), is at least 75% of the AUC formed by said particular one of said inorganic UV-absorbing agent, at the same concentration, in a range of 280 nm to 700 nm (AUC 280-700 ), and wherein an overall polydispersity index (PDI) of said inorganic UV-absorbing agent is within a range of 0.13 to 0.35.