Background
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Today, The main method employed for the synthesis of silica microcapsules is based on an emulsion/sol-gel approach. This approach has been applied successfully in the microencapsulation of hydrophobic materials.
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The encapsulation of hydrolytically unstable ingredients cannot be achieved by the current microencapsulation methods as they rely on water-based emulsions.
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There are many candidates of pharmaceutical, agricultural or cosmetic active components that are water-sensitive or air-sensitive. To enable their encapsulation in silica shells, non-aqueous sol-gel routes must be involved.
Our Innovation
The researchers developed a novel microencapsulation technology. The technology is based on oil-in-oil emulsification and non-aqueous sol-gel chemistry that enables the encapsulation of various hydrophilic and hydrophobic active materials. The technology make it possible to encapsulate water-sensitive or air-sensitive actives that previously couldn’t be encapsulated by any other microencapsulation methods.
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Encapsulate very hydrophilic materials purely without the need to dilute them in water.
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Overcome the stability limitation of water-sensitive actives.
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Applied for other types of hydrophilic or hydrophobic active materials.
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Can be used to prepare microcapsules that are composed of different types of metal oxide.
Technology
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Silica microcapsules containing pure polyethylene glycol (PEG) or glycerol in their core was successfully demonstrated for the first time.
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Different types of ionic liquids, deep eutectic solvents, highly water-soluble agricultural actives were also microencapsulated as well as Vitamin A and Cymoxanil.
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Octyl Methoxy Cinnamate (OMC) was encapsulated by a method in which the hydrophobic OMC is emulsified in PEG and then a silica shell is formed around the OMC droplets.
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Taxol, anti-cancer drug, was microencapsulated in a similar way.
Opportunity
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Pharmaceutical industry
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Agricultural industry
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Cosmetic industry
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Chemical industry
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Biotechnology industry
