Plasma polymerization for encapsulating particles

Abstract

The present invention includes systems, methods and compositions for the encapsulation of particles. In one form, the system comprises one or more particles, a rotatable reaction chamber in a plasma enhanced chemical reactor to accept one or more particles, and at least one carbonaceous compound to be used in the rotatable reaction chamber, wherein the carbonaceous compound is polymerized onto a surface of one or more particles forming a polymer film encapsulating one or more particles. Using systems, methods, and compositions of the present invention, any particle encapsulated with a degradable or nondegradable polymer film may be introduced and / or released into an environment. The polymer film as well as introduction of encapsulated particles and release therefrom into an environment are controlled by the present invention.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to the encapsulation of particles, and more specifically to particle encapsulation using a plasma polymerization process. [0002] Particle encapsulation, in which a particle is surrounded or coated by at least one layer of a surface, has many beneficial uses. Unfortunately, current methods of encapsulation generally require a number of technical steps and result in encapsulated products with poor stability. In addition, most methods result in low product yields, due, in part, to the limited tolerance of the starting materials to industrial operating conditions and the numerous technical difficulties associated with the encapsulation process, with product recovery and inadequate recycling from the reaction systems. [0003] Particle encapsulation, for example, offers a method in which a particle may be introduced to an environment in a more controlled manner. The control is generally imposed by varying different aspects of...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides a novel approach for introducing particles into an environment. It involves using plasma polymerization to encapsulate particles with a coating material, which controls the introduction of the particles into the environment. The coating material can be a polymer film made of a carbonaceous compound that is polymerized onto the surface of the particles. The coating material can be polymerized using specific reaction conditions, such as power input, peak power, coating time, duty cycle, flow rate of the carbonaceous compound, reactor pressure, and quantity of particles. By controlling the polymerization process, the release and rate of release of the encapsulated particles can be controlled. The invention can be applied to various particles, such as pharmaceutical compositions, food, semiconductor materials, amino acids, proteins, carbonaceous compounds, nucleic acids, vitamins, minerals, elemental molecules, fatty acids, lipid, photolabile compounds, and other compositions. The invention provides a system for encapsulating particles and controlling their release into an environment."

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, current methods of encapsulation generally require a number of technical steps and result in encapsulated products with poor stability.

In addition, most methods result in low product yields, due, in part, to the limited tolerance of the starting materials to industrial operating conditions and the numerous technical difficulties associated with the encapsulation process, with product recovery and inadequate recycling from the reaction systems.

While current approaches do provide satisfactory results for introducing particles to an environment; these approaches are complex, involve a number of technical steps, generate large amounts of waste products, and are often inadequate in truly controlling the introduction of the particle into the environment.

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