Star macromolecules for personal and home care

1. A star macromolecule represented by Formula X:

[(P1) q1 -(P2) q2 ] t -Core-[(P3) q3 ] r   Formula X

wherein:

Core represents a crosslinked polymeric segment;

P1 represents a homopolymeric segment comprised of repeat units of monomeric residues of polymerized hydrophobic monomers;

P2 represents a homopolymeric segment comprised of repeat units of monomeric residues of polymerized hydrophilic monomers;

P3 represents a homopolymeric segment comprised of repeat units of monomeric residues of polymerized hydrophilic monomers;

q1 represents the number of repeat units in P1 and has a value between 1 and 50;

q2 represents the number of repeat units in P2 and has a value between 30 and 500;

q3 represents the number of repeat units in P3 and has a value between 30 and 500;

r represents the number of homopolymeric arms covalently attached to the Core;

t represents the number of copolymeric arms covalently attached to the Core; and

wherein the molar ratio of r to t is in the range of between 20:1 and 2:1.

2. The star macromolecule of claim 1 , wherein the one or more star macromolecules have a molecular weight of between 150,000 g/mol and 600,000 g/mol.

3. The star macromolecule of claim 1 , wherein the sum total number of arms (r +t) is between 15 and 45.

4. The star macromolecule of claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of r to t is in the range of between 8:1 and 3:1.

5. The star macromolecule of claim 1 , wherein both q2 and q3 have a value greater than 100, and wherein q2 is greater than q3.

6. The star macromolecule of claim 1 , wherein the arms represented by [(P1) q1 -(P2) q2 ] have an HLB value greater than 18.

7. The star macromolecule of claim 1 , wherein the P1 homopolymeric segment is a hydrophobic homopolymeric segment having an HLB value of less than 7.

8. The star macromolecule of claim 1 , wherein the core comprises a hydrophobic crosslinked polymeric segment.

9. The star macromolecule of claim 1 , wherein the star macromolecule is a water soluble mikto star macromolecule.

10. The star macromolecule of claim 1 , wherein the star macromolecule, when dissolved in water at a concentration of at least 0.2 wt. %, forms a clear, homogeneous gel having a viscosity of at least 20,000 cP.

11. The star macromolecule of claim 1 having a molecular weight of between 150,000 g/mol and 600,000 g/mol that forms a dear, homogeneous gel when dissolved in water at a concentration of at least 0.2 wt. %;

wherein the gel has:

i) a dynamic viscosity of at least 20,000 cP:

ii) a saltinduced break value of at least 60%:

iii) a shear-thinning value of at least 10; and/or

iv) an emulsion value of greater than 12 hours.

12. The star macromolecule of claim 11 , wherein the gel-forming star macromolecule has a viscosity of greater than 40,000 cP at a pH between 6 to 11.

13. The star macromolecule of claim 11 , wherein the gel-forming star macromolecule has a viscosity of less than 5,000 cP at a shear rate of 4 sec −1 .

14. The star macromolecule of claim 11 , wherein the gel-forming star macromolecule has a PDI of less than 2.5.

15. The star macromolecule of claim 11 , wherein the gel-forming star macromolecule is a water-soluble mikto star macromolecule.

16. The star macromolecule of claim 11 , wherein the gel-forming star macromolecule has between 15 to 45 arms.

17. The star macromolecule of claim 11 , wherein the arms of the gel-forming star macromolecule have an HLB of between 18 and 20.

18. An emulsion comprising:

the star macromolecule of claim 1 having:

i) a molecular weight of at least 150,000 g/mol; and

ii) a dynamic viscosity of at least 20,000 cP at a concentration of 0.4 wt. %.

19. The emulsion of claim 18 , wherein the emulsion is an emulsifier-free emulsion.