Technical articles
TCA-KTTS, a Titanate Coupling Agent Suitable for Use in Cosmetics: Basic Information, Application Characteristics, and Differences from 130 and 105
TCA-KTTS, a Titanate Coupling Agent Suitable for Use in Cosmetics: Basic Information, Application Characteristics, and Differences from 130 and 105
1. What Is TCA-KTTS
TCA-KTTS is a monoalkoxy fatty acid-type titanate coupling agent. Its corresponding name in the cosmetic ingredient catalog is Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, and its commonly used chemical name is Titanium Triisostearoyl Isopropoxide. It is commonly used for the surface treatment of cosmetic powders and color pigments, and cosmetic ingredient databases classify Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate as a surface modifier.
Item | Content |
Product code | TCA-KTTS |
Name in cosmetic ingredient catalog | Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate |
Common chemical name | Titanium Triisostearoyl Isopropoxide |
CAS No. | 61417-49-0 |
Structural type | Monoalkoxy fatty acid-type titanate coupling agent |
Common molecular formula | C57H112O7Ti |
Typical appearance | Brown-red to wine-red transparent viscous liquid |
Main function | Surface treatment of powders and color pigments; improves powder lipophilicity, oil-phase wettability, and dispersion stability |
Applicable powders | Titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, iron oxides, mica, talc, sericite, barium sulfate, calcium carbonate, etc. |
Cosmetic applications | Treatment of powders or color pigments in liquid foundation, cream foundation, pressed powder, loose powder, eye shadow, blush, concealer, and lip color cosmetics |
Industrial applications | Surface modification of fillers in plastics, oil-based coatings, adhesives, color pastes, pigment pastes, thermally conductive and electrically conductive materials, and pigments/fillers |
2. Functions of TCA-KTTS in Cosmetics
When used in cosmetics, the core role of TCA-KTTS is the surface treatment of powders or color pigments. Its titanate functional end can interact with the surfaces of pigments or fillers, while the isostearic acid chains improve the compatibility of powders with oils, ester oils, silicone oils, waxes, and resin systems. After treatment, powders are more easily wetted by the oil phase and more readily dispersed; the hydrophilicity of the powder surface decreases, while lipophilicity increases.
In color cosmetic systems, TCA-KTTS is commonly used to improve the wetting and dispersion of powders such as titanium dioxide, iron oxides, mica, and talc in the oil phase. In suitable formulations, it can also contribute to spreadability, skin adherence, powder pressing processability, and uniform color-pigment dispersion. It is especially suitable for formulations with high powder loading, a high oil ratio, and high requirements for color uniformity, such as foundation, concealer, eye shadow, blush, and lip color cosmetics.
The U.S. Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has pointed out that Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate is used in cosmetics primarily as a surface modifier and is used to react with colorant particles to form modified surfaces. The assessment also emphasizes that significant amounts of free, unbound Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate should be controlled as an impurity risk.
3. Differences in Cosmetic Suitability Among TCA-KTTS, 130, and 105
Among the three easily confused titanate coupling agents TCA-KTTS, 130, and 105, the Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate corresponding to TCA-KTTS has clear support from cosmetic use history and published safety assessment conclusions; 130 and 105 should not be directly used as cosmetic substitutes for TCA-KTTS.
Public conclusions released by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel indicate that Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate can be considered safe when used in cosmetics as a surface modifier under the present conditions of use and concentration. The main use scenario corresponding to this conclusion is the surface treatment of powders or pigments. Therefore, during formulation development, the focus should be on evaluating the performance of the treated powder in the system, rather than using larger amounts of free, unbound material directly as an ordinary oil-phase additive.
China’s Inventory of Existing Cosmetic Ingredients (2021 Edition) includes Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate. The catalog also makes it clear that it is an objective record of cosmetic ingredients already used within China and does not mean that all such ingredients have undergone a complete systematic safety evaluation. Cosmetic registrants and filers still bear responsibility for product quality and safety. In addition, since 2025, the Inventory of Existing Cosmetic Ingredients has been subject to dynamic management in accordance with the relevant announcement.
4. Comparison of the Three Easily Confused Titanate Coupling Agents: TCA-KTTS, 130, and 105
TCA-KTTS, 130, and 105 are all monoalkoxy fatty acid-type titanate coupling agents, but they differ in fatty acid chain structure, physical form, application positioning, and the basis for cosmetic safety. During product selection and formulation development, the product name, CAS No., physical form, structural chain type, application, and safety documentation should all be checked together.
Comparison Item | TCA-KTTS | 130 | 105 |
Name | Titanium Triisostearoyl Isopropoxide; Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate | Isopropyl Titanium Tristearate; Titanium Tristearoyl Isopropoxide | Isopropyl Trioleyl Titanate; Titanium Trioleoyl Isopropoxide |
CAS No. | 61417-49-0 | 68443-53-8 | 136144-62-2 |
Industry code | TCA-KTTS | 130, TCA-KTTT, etc. | 105, HY-105, etc. |
Structural type | Monoalkoxy fatty acid type | Monoalkoxy fatty acid type | Monoalkoxy fatty acid type |
Fatty acid chain | Branched isostearic acid chain | Linear stearic acid chain | Unsaturated oleic acid chain |
Common molecular formula | C57H112O7Ti | C57H112O7Ti | C57H106O7Ti |
Typical appearance | Brown-red to wine-red transparent viscous liquid | White to pale yellow granules or wax-like solid | Wine-red transparent viscous liquid |
Main performance characteristics | Improves powder lipophilicity, oil-phase wettability, pigment dispersion, and resin compatibility | Improves hydrophobicity, dispersibility, thermal stability, surface smoothness, and filler loading of inorganic fillers | Improves impact strength, elongation, and tear strength of polyolefin- and rubber-filled systems; reduces melt viscosity of composites |
Typical applications | Surface treatment of cosmetic powders and color pigments, color pastes, pigment pastes, oil-based coatings, adhesives, thermally conductive and electrically conductive materials | Treatment of industrial fillers such as those used in plastics, rubber, composites, calcium carbonate, kaolin, and talc | Treatment of industrial fillers in polyethylene, polypropylene, natural rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, coatings, calcium carbonate, bone powder, kaolin, etc. |
Cosmetic suitability | Supported by inclusion in the cosmetic ingredient catalog and by published safety assessment conclusions; suitable for use as a surface treatment agent for powders or color pigments | Managed as an industrial coupling agent and should not directly replace TCA-KTTS in cosmetics | Managed as an industrial coupling agent and should not directly replace TCA-KTTS in cosmetics |
Safety assessment basis | Supported by safety assessment conclusions for use as a cosmetic surface modifier; impurities, residues, and raw material quality still need to be controlled | Lacks equivalent cosmetic safety assessment support | Lacks equivalent cosmetic safety assessment support |
5. Points to Note When Using TCA-KTTS for Surface Treatment of Cosmetic Powders
5.1 Clarify That the Main Use Is Surface Treatment of Powders or Color Pigments
The main use scenario of TCA-KTTS in cosmetics is as a surface modifier for powders or pigments. It is typically used to surface-treat powders or color pigments such as titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, iron oxides, mica, and talc, after which the treated powders are incorporated into the formulation. During formulation development, the focus should be placed on the dispersion, compatibility, and final application performance of the treated powder, while also paying attention to whether unbound residues remain and how they may affect raw material quality control and formulation evaluation.
5.2 Control Raw Material Quality and Residues
For cosmetic applications, attention should be paid to raw material purity, residual free coupling agent, residual isopropanol, heavy metals, residual solvents, odor, color, moisture, microorganisms, and batch-to-batch stability. For powdered products intended for the eye area, lip area, or other situations with potentially higher inhalation exposure, safety assessment should be carried out in combination with the specific formulation and exposure scenario.
5.3 Treat the Powder First, Then Incorporate It into the Formula
A common approach is to first surface-treat the powder and then incorporate the treated powder into the formulation. A typical method is to disperse or spray TCA-KTTS uniformly onto the powder surface, then obtain the surface-treated powder through steps such as mixing, heating, maturation, sieving, or milling. The treated powder should be evaluated for hydrophobicity, oil absorption, particle size distribution, color difference, powder pressing performance, oil-phase dispersibility, and storage stability.
5.4 Pay Attention to Formulation Compatibility
After treatment with TCA-KTTS, the powder surface shifts from relatively hydrophilic to relatively lipophilic, making it suitable for oils, ester oils, silicone oils, waxes, and oil-based dispersion systems. When used in water-in-oil emulsions, systems with relatively high water content, or systems with high electrolyte content, special attention should be paid to coarse particle formation, floating color, sedimentation, emulsion stability, and long-term storage performance.
5.5 Store in a Moisture-Proof, Light-Protected, Sealed Condition
TCA-KTTS is a moisture-sensitive titanate raw material and should be stored sealed, protected from light, in a cool, dry place. After opening, it should be used as soon as possible, and moisture ingress into the package should be minimized during sampling and production. If obvious darkening, abnormal viscosity, gelation, phase separation, or visible sediment occurs, use should be suspended and key indicators should be rechecked.
6. Classification, Characteristics, and Applications of Representative Powders and Research Control Samples for Cosmetic Powder Treatment
Classification | CAS No. | Aladdin Catalog No. | Name | Specification or Purity | Product Characteristics and Applications |
Mica-based cosmetic body powder | 12001-26-2 | Sericite | Natural, cosmetic grade | Commonly used in pressed powders, loose powders, base makeup, and pearlescent systems. It can serve as an object for titanate surface treatment to evaluate powder lipophilicity, spreadability, skin adherence, and powder pressing performance. | |
Yellow inorganic pigment powder | 51274-00-1 | Pigment Yellow 42 | Fe2O3 ≥ 85% | Commonly used in foundations, concealers, blushes, and blended color powder systems. It can serve as an object for titanate surface treatment to evaluate the wetting and dispersion of color pigments in the oil phase, color uniformity, and formulation stability. | |
Red inorganic pigment powder | 1309-37-1 | F108317 | Ferric sesquioxide | AR, ≥99% | Can be used as a red iron oxide-related pigment powder to study post-treatment dispersibility, tinting performance, and skin adherence in foundation, color cosmetic, and blended pigment paste systems. |
White covering powder | 13463-67-7 | Titanium oxide | AR, ≥99% | A typical white pigment and covering powder, suitable for studying oil-phase dispersion, covering power, skin feel, and system stability after titanate surface treatment. | |
White functional powder | 1314-13-2 | Zinc oxide | AR, ≥99% | Commonly used in base makeup, sunscreen, and functional powder systems. It can serve as an object for titanate surface treatment to evaluate lipophilic modification, dispersibility, and changes in powder surface state. | |
Lamellar body powder | 14807-96-6 | T109494 | Talc | 800 mesh | Commonly used in pressed powders, loose powders, body powders, and base makeup systems. It can be used to study powder hydrophobicity, slip, spreadability, and powder pressing processability after titanate treatment. |
Titanium-related control material | 3087-36-3 | Titanium ethoxide | 33-35% TiO2 | A titanium source precursor and titanium-related control material, suitable for studies on titanium complexes, surface treatment reactions, or materials preparation, and can also be used as a control sample to distinguish powder-treatment titanates from other titanium compounds. | |
Body filler | 7727-43-7 | Barium sulfate | ≥99%, 2 μm | Commonly used in base makeup, color cosmetics, and coating-type powder systems. It can serve as an object for titanate surface treatment to study the dispersion, sedimentation stability, and skin-feel adjustment of body fillers. | |
Black ferrite control sample | 1317-61-9 | I104312 | Iron(II,III) oxide | ≥99% | Can be used as a materials research control sample for black inorganic powders to compare surface state, oil-phase dispersion behavior, and interface changes before and after treatment. |
Note: The products above are representative products from Aladdin. For more product specifications, search the Aladdin website using the product name/CAS No./catalog number.
References
[1] Chemical Abstracts Service. CAS Common Chemistry: Isopropyl triisostearoyl titanate, CAS Registry Number 61417-49-0. Chemical Abstracts Service.
[2] SpecialChem. Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate: Cosmetic Ingredient INCI. SpecialChem, 2023.
[3] Nanjing Capatue Chemical Co., Ltd. Product Description of TCA-KTTS, a Monoalkoxy-Type Titanate. Nanjing Capatue Chemical Co., Ltd.
[4] Gelest, Inc. Titanium Triisostearoylisopropoxide, tech-90, Safety Data Sheet. Gelest, Inc., 2015.
[5] Cosmetic Ingredient Review. Safety Assessment of Titanium Complexes as Used in Cosmetics. Cosmetic Ingredient Review, 2019.
[6] Johnson W Jr, Bergfeld W F, Belsito D V, Hill R A, Klaassen C D, Liebler D C, Marks J G Jr, Shank R C, Slaga T J, Snyder P W, Fiume M, Heldreth B. Titanium Complexes as Used in Cosmetics. International Journal of Toxicology, 2025, 44(2_suppl): 38S-53S.
[7] National Medical Products Administration. Inventory of Existing Cosmetic Ingredients (2021 Edition). National Medical Products Administration, 2021.
[8] National Institutes for Food and Drug Control. Inventory of Existing Cosmetic Ingredients, Vol. I. National Institutes for Food and Drug Control.
[9] National Medical Products Administration. Announcement of the National Medical Products Administration on Matters Related to the Administration of the Inventory of Existing Cosmetic Ingredients (No. 61 of 2025). National Medical Products Administration, 2025.
[10] Nanjing Capatue Chemical Co., Ltd. Product Description of TCA-KTTT, Propoxy Titanium Tristearate, CAS 68443-53-8. Nanjing Capatue Chemical Co., Ltd.
[11] ChemicalBook. Isopropyl Titanium Tristearate, CAS 68443-53-8. ChemicalBook.
[12] ChemicalBook. Isopropyl Trioleyl Titanate, CAS 136144-62-2. ChemicalBook.
[13] Hangzhou Jessica Chemicals Co., Ltd. Isopropyl Trioleyl Titanate CAS No. 136144-62-2 Product Introduction. Hangzhou Jessica Chemicals Co., Ltd.
For more related articles, please see below: