Treatment composition with chitosan-based delivery particles

Abstract

A treatment composition comprising a treatment aid and a population of core / shell delivery particles wherein the shell is at least partially made of a polymeric material that is the reaction product of chitosan and a cross-linking agent wherein the chitosan is characterized by a specific weight average molecular weight, such as 100 kDa to 600 kDa. Related methods of making and using such compositions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a treatment composition comprising a treatment aid and a population of core / shell delivery particles, wherein the shell is at least partially made of chitosan characterized by a specific weight average molecular weight. The present disclosure also relates to related methods of preparing and using such compositions. Background Art

[0002] Delivery particles, particularly core / shell delivery particles, are a convenient way to deliver beneficial agents in treatment compositions such as laundry products. For environmental reasons, it may be desirable to use delivery particles having walls made of materials from natural sources and / or biodegradable materials.

[0003] Delivery particles having a shell at least partially made of a chitosan-based material are known. However, such particles may not deliver the desired level of performance. Additionally, chitosan can be a challenging material due to its tendency to increase viscosity.

[0004] There is a need for improved treatment compositions comprising delivery particles made of chitosan-based materials, and related methods. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present disclosure relates to a treatment composition comprising chitosan-based core / shell delivery particles, wherein the chitosan used to prepare the shell is characterized by a specific molecular weight.

[0006] For example, the present disclosure relates to a treatment composition comprising a treatment aid and a population of delivery particles, wherein the delivery particles comprise a core and a shell surrounding the core, wherein the core comprises a beneficial agent, wherein the shell comprises a polymeric material that is a reaction product of chitosan and a crosslinking agent, and wherein the chitosan is characterized by a weight average molecular weight of from about 100 kDa to about 600 kDa.

[0007] The present disclosure also relates to a method of preparing a treatment composition, wherein the method comprises the steps of: providing a base composition, wherein the base composition comprises a treatment aid, and combining a population of delivery particles with the base composition, wherein the delivery particles comprise a core and a shell surrounding the core, wherein the core comprises a beneficial agent, wherein the shell comprises a polymeric material that is a reaction product of chitosan and a crosslinking agent, and wherein the chitosan is characterized by a weight average molecular weight of from about 100 kDa to about 600 kDa.

[0008] The present disclosure also relates to a method of treating a surface, wherein the method comprises the step of: contacting the surface, preferably a fabric, with a treatment composition as described herein. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009] The figures herein are illustrative in nature but not intended to be limiting.

[0010] Figure 1 Shows a hypothetical graph of the polymer molecular weight distribution. Detailed Description

[0011] The present disclosure relates to a treatment composition comprising delivery particles having a shell made at least in part of a chitosan-based material. Specifically, the delivery particles include a shell comprising a reaction product of chitosan and a crosslinking agent. Importantly, the chitosan is characterized by a weight average molecular weight falling within a specific range.

[0012] Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that carefully selecting the molecular weight of chitosan can be advantageous. For example, selecting chitosan with a molecular weight above a certain threshold can result in delivery particles that perform better at certain contact points compared to particles made from lower molecular weight chitosan. Additionally, selecting chitosan characterized by a relatively high molecular weight can pose processing challenges because such chitosan tends to increase viscosity, especially in aqueous environments; relatively high viscosity can affect the convenient flowability of such solutions and / or inhibit the full formation of particle walls.

[0013] The chitosan, delivery particles, treatment composition, and related methods of the present disclosure are discussed in more detail below.

[0014] As used herein, the articles "a" and "an" when used in the claims are understood to mean one or more of the things claimed or described. As used herein, the terms "comprising," "including," and "containing" are intended to be non-limiting. The compositions of the present disclosure can comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the components of the present disclosure.

[0015] The term "substantially free of" may be used herein. This means that the indicated material is present in very small amounts, not intentionally added to form part of the composition, or preferably the indicated material is not present at a level detectable by analysis. This means including compositions in which the indicated material is present only as an impurity in one of the other materials intentionally added. If present at all, the indicated material can be present at a level of less than 1%, or less than 0.1%, or less than 0.01%, or even 0% by weight of the composition.

[0016] As used herein, "consumer product" means baby care products, beauty care products, fabric and home care products, household care products, feminine care products, and / or health care products or devices intended to be used or consumed in a sold form and not intended for subsequent commercial manufacture or modification. Such products include, but are not limited to, diapers, bibs, wipes; products and / or methods related to the treatment of human hair, which treatment includes bleaching, coloring, dyeing, conditioning, shampooing, styling; deodorants and antiperspirants; personal cleansing; skin care, including the application of creams, lotions, and other topically applied products for consumer use; and shaving products, products and / or methods related to the treatment of fabrics, hard surfaces, and any other surfaces in the fabric and home care areas, including: air care, automotive care, dishwashing, fabric conditioning (including softening), laundry detergency, laundry washing and rinse additives and / or care, hard surface cleaning and / or treatment, and other cleaning for consumer or business use; products and / or methods related to toilet paper, facial tissue, paper handkerchiefs, and / or paper towels; tampons, feminine sanitary napkins; adult incontinence products; products and / or methods related to oral care, including toothpaste, teething gels, teeth cleaning, denture adhesives, teeth whitening; over-the-counter health care products, including cough and cold medicines; pest control products; and water purification.

[0017] As used herein, the phrase "fabric care composition" includes compositions and formulations designed for treating fabrics. Such compositions include, but are not limited to, laundry cleaning compositions and detergents, fabric softening compositions, fabric enhancing compositions, fabric freshening compositions, laundry pre-wash compositions, laundry pre-treatment agents, laundry additives, spray products, dry cleaning agents or compositions, laundry rinse additives, wash additives, post-rinse fabric treatment agents, ironing aids, unit dose formulations, delayed delivery formulations, detergents contained on or in porous substrates or nonwoven sheets, and other suitable forms that would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in light of the teachings herein. Such compositions can be used as laundry pre-treatment agents, laundry post-treatment agents, or can be added during the rinse cycle or wash cycle of a laundry operation.

[0018] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, "delivery particle", "particle", "encapsulant", "microcapsule", and "capsule" are used interchangeably. As used herein, these terms generally refer to core / shell delivery particles.

[0019] Unless otherwise specified, all component or composition levels are based on the active portion of that component or composition and do not include impurities that may be present in commercially available sources of such components or compositions, such as residual solvents or by-products.

[0020] Unless otherwise indicated, all temperatures herein are in degrees Celsius (°C). Unless otherwise indicated, all measurements herein are made at 20°C and atmospheric pressure.

[0021] In all embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise specifically stated, all percentages are by weight of the total composition. Unless otherwise specifically stated, all ratios are weight ratios.

[0022] It should be understood that every maximum numerical limitation given throughout this specification includes every lower numerical limitation, as if such lower numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every minimum numerical limitation given throughout this specification will include every higher numerical limitation, as if such higher numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every numerical range given throughout this specification will include every narrower numerical range falling within such broader numerical range, as if such narrower numerical ranges were all expressly written herein.

[0023] Treatment composition

[0024] The present disclosure relates to treatment compositions (or simply "compositions" as used herein). The compositions of the present disclosure can comprise a population of delivery particles and a treatment aid, each described in more detail below. The treatment composition can be used in the methods of treating surfaces such as fabrics described herein.

[0025] The treatment composition is preferably a consumer product composition. The consumer product compositions of the present disclosure can be used in baby care products, beauty care products, fabric care products, home care products, household care products, feminine care products, and / or health care applications. The consumer product composition can be used to treat surfaces such as fabrics, hair, or skin. The consumer product composition can be intended for use or consumption in its sold form. The consumer product compositions of the present disclosure are generally not intended for subsequent commercial manufacture or modification.

[0026] The consumer product composition can preferably be a fabric care composition, a hard surface cleaner composition, a dish care composition, a hair care composition (such as a shampoo or conditioner), a body cleansing composition, or a mixture thereof, preferably a fabric care composition.

[0027] The consumer product composition can be a fabric care composition, such as a laundry detergent composition (including heavy-duty liquid detergents or unit dose products), a fabric conditioning composition (including liquid fabric softening and / or enhancing compositions), a laundry additive, a fabric pretreatment composition (including sprays, pourable liquids or sprays), a fabric freshener composition (including sprays), or a mixture thereof. The treatment composition is preferably a fabric conditioning composition, even more preferably a liquid fabric conditioning composition.

[0028] The composition can be a beauty care composition, such as a hair treatment product (including shampoo and / or conditioner), a skin care product (including creams, lotions or other topically applied products for consumer use), a shaving care product (including shaving lotion, foam, or pre- or post-shave treatment), a personal cleansing product (including liquid bath, liquid hand soap, and / or bar soap), a deodorant and / or antiperspirant, or a mixture thereof.

[0029] The composition can be a household care composition, such as air care, car care, dishwashing, hard surface cleaning and / or treatment, and other cleaning for consumer or institutional use.

[0030] The treatment composition can be in the form of a liquid composition, a particulate composition, a hydrocolloid, a single-compartment sachet, a multi-compartment sachet, a soluble sheet, a lozenge or bead, a fibrous article, a tablet, a bar, a strip, a wafer, a foam / mousse, a nonwoven sheet, or a mixture thereof.

[0031] The treatment composition can be in liquid form. The liquid composition can preferably contain about 50% to about 97%, preferably about 60% to about 96%, more preferably about 70% to about 95%, or even about 80% to about 95% water by weight of the fabric treatment composition. The liquid composition can be a liquid fabric conditioner. The liquid can be packaged in a pourable bottle. The liquid can be packaged in an aerosol can or other spray bottle. Suitable containers are described in more detail below.

[0032] The treatment composition can be in solid form. The composition can be in the form of beads or lozenges, which can be made from a liquid melt. The composition can be an extruded product. The treatment composition can be in powder or granule form.

[0033] The composition can be in the form of a combined dose article such as a tablet, sachet, sheet, or fibrous article. Such sachets generally include a water-soluble film, such as a polyvinyl alcohol water-soluble film, which at least partially encapsulates the composition. Suitable films are available from MonoSol, LLC (Indiana, USA). The composition can be encapsulated in a single-compartment sachet or a multi-compartment sachet. The multi-compartment sachet can have at least two, at least three, or at least four compartments. The multi-compartment sachet can include compartments side by side and / or stacked. The composition contained in the sachet or its compartments can be liquid, solid (such as powder), or a combination thereof. The sachet composition can have a relatively small amount of water, for example less than about 20%, or less than about 15%, or less than about 12%, or less than about 10%, or less than about 8% water by weight of the detergent composition.

[0034] The treatment composition can be in spray form and can be dispensed from a bottle, for example, via a trigger sprayer and / or an aerosol container with a valve.

[0035] The treatment composition can have a value at 20s-1 and viscosities of 1 centipoise to 1500 centipoise (1 mPa*s to 1500 mPa*s), 100 centipoise to 1000 centipoise (100 mPa*s to 1000 mPa*s), or 200 centipoise to 500 centipoise (200 mPa*s to 500 mPa*s) at 21 °C.

[0036] The treatment composition of the present disclosure may be characterized by a pH of about 2 to about 12, or about 2 to about 8.5, or about 2 to about 7, or about 2 to about 5. The treatment composition of the present disclosure may have a pH of about 2 to about 4, preferably about 2 to about 3.7, more preferably about 2 to about 3.5, and is preferably in the form of an aqueous liquid. It is believed that such pH levels are beneficial for the stability of the quaternary ammonium ester compound (when present). On the other hand, detergent compositions are typically characterized by a pH of about 7 to about 12, preferably about 7.5 to about 11. The pH of the composition is measured by dissolving / dispersing the composition in deionized water at about 20 °C to form a 10% concentration solution.

[0037] Additional components and / or features of the composition are discussed in more detail below.

[0038] Delivery particle population

[0039] The treatment composition of the present disclosure comprises a population of delivery particles. The delivery particles include a core and a shell surrounding the core. The core may comprise a beneficial agent and optionally a dispensing modifier. The core may be liquid or solid at room temperature, preferably liquid.

[0040] The treatment composition may comprise from about 0.05% to about 20%, or about 0.05% to about 10%, or about 0.1% to about 5%, or about 0.2% to about 2% by weight of the composition of the delivery particles. The composition may comprise a sufficient amount of the delivery particles to provide from about 0.05% to about 10%, or about 0.1% to about 5%, or about 0.1% to about 2% by weight of the composition of the encapsulated beneficial agent, which may preferably be a fragrance ingredient. When discussing the amount or weight percentage of the delivery particles herein, it means the sum of the wall material and the core material.

[0041] The population of delivery particles according to the present disclosure may be characterized by a volume-weighted median particle size of about 1 micron to about 100 microns, preferably about 10 microns to about 100 microns, preferably about 15 microns to about 50 microns, more preferably about 20 microns to about 40 microns, and even more preferably about 25 microns to about 35 microns. For certain compositions, preferably, the population of delivery particles is characterized by a volume-weighted median particle size of about 1 micron to about 50 microns, preferably about 5 microns to about 20 microns, more preferably about 10 microns to about 15 microns. Different particle sizes can be obtained by controlling the droplet size during the emulsification process.

[0042] The delivery particles can be characterized in that, by weight, the ratio of the core to the shell is up to 99:1, or even 99.5:0.5. The shell can be present in an amount of about 1% to about 25%, preferably about 1% to about 20%, preferably about 1% to 15%, more preferably about 5% to about 15%, even more preferably about 10% to about 15%, and even more preferably about 10% to about 12% based on the weight of the delivery particles. The shell can be present in an amount of at least 1%, preferably at least 3%, and more preferably at least 5% based on the weight of the delivery particles. The shell can be present in an amount of up to about 25%, preferably up to about 20%, preferably up to about 15%, and more preferably up to about 12% based on the weight of the delivery particles.

[0043] The delivery particles can be essentially cationic, preferably cationic at a pH of 4.5. The delivery particles can be characterized by a ζ potential of at least 15 millivolts (mV) at a pH of 4.5. The delivery particles can be made to have a ζ potential of at least 15 mV at a pH of 4.5, or even a ζ potential of at least 40 mV at a pH of 4.5, or even a ζ potential of at least 60 mV at a pH of 4.5. Delivery particles prepared with chitosan generally exhibit a positive ζ potential. Such capsules have improved deposition efficiency on fabrics. At higher pH values, the particles can be made nonionic or anionic.

[0044] The delivery particles of the present disclosure comprise a shell surrounding a core. (As used herein, "shell" and "wall" can be used interchangeably with respect to delivery particles, unless otherwise specified.) The shell comprises a polymeric material. The polymeric material is a reaction product of chitosan and a crosslinking agent.

[0045] As described above, chitosan is preferably characterized by a specific weight-average molecular weight. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that carefully selecting the molecular weight of the chitosan used to form the shell of the delivery particles results in better-performing particles and / or processing convenience.

[0046] For example, it is believed that when the weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of chitosan is relatively low (e.g., less than 25 kDa, or less than 50 kDa, or even less than 75 kDa), the delivery performance is relatively poor compared to particles made from chitosan of relatively higher molecular weight, at least at certain contact points. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that relatively small chitosan results in poor shell formation, which may be due to increased solubility of chitosan, leading to a lower likelihood of chitosan migrating to the water / oil interface during shell formation.

[0047] In addition, it is believed that when the weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of chitosan is relatively high (e.g., above 600 kDa), chitosan may be difficult to process (e.g., by pumping) and / or difficult to react to form a suitable shell material. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that relatively large chitosan results in a higher viscosity profile of the aqueous phase in which the chitosan is dissolved. This can cause pumping challenges and / or lower reactivity, e.g., due to reduced mobility of chitosan towards the water / oil interface during shell formation.

[0048] Chitosan can be characterized by a weight-average molecular weight of from about 100 kDa to about 600 kDa. Preferably, chitosan is characterized by a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of from about 100 kDa to about 500 kDa, preferably from about 100 kDa to about 400 kDa, more preferably from about 100 kDa to about 300 kDa, and even more preferably from about 100 kDa to about 200 kDa. Methods for determining the molecular weight and related parameters of chitosan are provided in the Test Methods section below and use gel permeation chromatography with multi-angle light scattering and refractive index detection (GPC-MALS / RI) techniques.

[0049] In addition to the weight-average molecular weight, preferred chitosan can also be characterized by other parameters. For example, chitosan can be characterized by a polydispersity index of from about 1.2 to about 4, more preferably from about 1.4 to about 3.8, and even more preferably from about 2.2 to about 2.6. The polydispersity index is calculated as the ratio of the weight-average molecular weight to the number-average molecular weight (Mw / Mn). It is believed that chitosan characterized by the recited polydispersity index ranges is advantageous because relatively large polydispersity index values indicate relatively large amounts of high molecular weight and low molecular weight polymers (which may be less preferred as described above), while relatively small polydispersity index values are challenging and / or costly to achieve, e.g., due to purification processes.

[0050] Additionally or alternatively, chitosan can be characterized by a value defined as the difference between the Z-average molecular weight and the molecular weight at the peak maximum (e.g., Mz - Mp), where the difference is from about 60 kDa to about 3500 kDa and can be used to describe the length of the "tail" of the molecular weight distribution. For raw (untreated with acid) chitosan, preferably the value of Mz - Mp is from about 60 kDa to about 600 kDa, preferably from about 140 kDa to about 300 kDa. For acid-treated chitosan, preferably the value of Mz - Mp is from about 600 kDa to about 3500 kDa, more preferably from about 1800 kDa to about 3000 kDa.

[0051] Chitosan can be characterized by a degree of deacetylation of at least 50%, preferably from about 50% to about 99%, more preferably from about 75% to about 90%, and even more preferably from about 80% to about 85%. The degree of deacetylation affects the solubility of chitosan, which in turn affects its reactivity or behavior during the formation of the particle shell. For example, too low a degree of deacetylation (e.g., below 50%) results in relatively insoluble and relatively unreactive chitosan. A relatively high degree of deacetylation can result in highly soluble chitosan, leading to relatively little chitosan reaching the oil / water interface during shell formation.

[0052] Chitosan can be characterized by at least one of the following, preferably at least two, and more preferably all three: (a) a polydispersity index (Mw / Mn) of from about 2.2 to about 2.6; and / or (b) a value defined by (Mz - Mp) of from about 60 to about 3500; and / or (c) a degree of deacetylation of at least 50%, preferably from about 50% to about 99%, more preferably from about 75% to about 90%, and even more preferably from about 80% to about 85%.

[0053] Chitosan can preferably be acid-treated chitosan. For example, chitosan (which may be referred to as raw chitosan or parent chitosan before acid treatment) can be treated with an acid at a temperature of from about 25°C to about 99°C, preferably from about 75°C to about 95°C, at a pH of 6.5 or lower, preferably for at least one hour, preferably from about one hour to about three hours, or for the period of time required to obtain a chitosan solution viscosity of no more than about 1500 cps, or even no more than 500 cps of acid-treated chitosan. The acid can be selected from strong acids (such as hydrochloric acid), organic acids (such as formic acid or acetic acid), or mixtures thereof. Chitosan can preferably be acid-treated at a pH of from 2 to 6.5, preferably from 3 to 6, or even from 4 to 6.

[0054] Chitosan can include anion-modified chitosan, cation-modified chitosan, or a combination thereof. Modifying chitosan in anionic and / or cationic ways changes the characteristics of the shell of the delivery particle, for example by changing the surface charge and / or ζ potential, which affects the deposition efficiency of the particle and / or formulation compatibility.

[0055] As described above, the shell is a polymeric material that is the reaction product of chitosan and a crosslinking agent. Preferably, the crosslinking agent comprises a polyisocyanate. Thus, the shell of the delivery particle can comprise a polyurea resin, where the polyurea resin comprises the reaction product of a polyisocyanate and chitosan.

[0056] The polyisocyanate materials useful for the present disclosure are to be understood for the purposes thereof as isocyanate monomers, isocyanate oligomers, isocyanate prepolymers or dimers or trimers of aliphatic or aromatic isocyanates. "Polyisocyanate" is intended to mean a material or compound containing two or more isocyanate moieties. All such monomers, prepolymers, oligomers or dimers or trimers of aliphatic or aromatic isocyanates are intended to be covered by the term "polyisocyanate" herein. The polyisocyanates useful for the present disclosure include isocyanate monomers, oligomers or prepolymers having at least two isocyanate groups, or their dimers or trimers. Preferred crosslinking can be achieved using polyisocyanates having at least three functional groups.

[0057] Aromatic polyisocyanates may be preferred; however, aliphatic polyisocyanates and their blends may be useful. Aliphatic polyisocyanates are understood to be polyisocyanates that do not contain any aromatic moieties. Aromatic polyisocyanates are understood to be polyisocyanates that contain at least one aromatic moiety. The crosslinking agent may comprise a mixture of aromatic polyisocyanates and aliphatic polyisocyanates.

[0058] Polyisocyanates, when aromatic, may be, but are not limited to, methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, toluene diisocyanate, tetramethylxylylene diisocyanate, the polyisocyanurate of toluene diisocyanate (commercially available from Bayer under the trade name RC), the trimethylolpropane adduct of toluene diisocyanate (commercially available from Bayer under the trade name L75), naphthalene-1,5-diisocyanate, phenylene diisocyanate or the trimethylolpropane adduct of xylylene diisocyanate (commercially available from Mitsui Chemicals under the trade name D-110N).

[0059] Aliphatic polyisocyanates may include the trimer of hexamethylene diisocyanate, the trimer of isophorone diisocyanate, the trimethylolpropane adduct of hexamethylene diisocyanate (available from Mitsui Chemicals) or the biuret of hexamethylene diisocyanate (commercially available from Bayer under the trade name N 100).

[0060] Derivatives of polyisocyanates may include oligomers or polymers of isocyanate monomers. As non-limiting examples, polyisocyanates may preferably contain oligomers or polymers of diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), such as MR-Light.

[0061] The polyisocyanate can preferably be selected from the group consisting of: polyisocyanurates of tolylene diisocyanate; trimethylolpropane adducts of tolylene diisocyanate; trimethylolpropane adducts of xylylene diisocyanate; 2,2'-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate; 4,4'-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate; 2,4'-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate; [diisocyanato(phenyl)methyl]benzene; tolylene diisocyanate; tetramethylxylylene diisocyanate; naphthalene-1,5-diisocyanate; 1,4-phenylene diisocyanate; 1,3-diisocyanatobenzene; their derivatives (such as their prepolymers, oligomers and / or polymers); and combinations thereof.

[0062] Additional co-crosslinkers such as polyfunctional amines and / or polyamines such as diethylenetriamine (DETA), polyethyleneimine, polyvinylamine or mixtures thereof can also be used to strengthen the particle shell. Acrylates can also be used as additional co-crosslinkers, for example for strengthening the shell.

[0063] The polymeric material can be formed in a reaction in which the weight ratio of chitosan present in the reaction to the crosslinker present in the reaction is from about 1:10 to about 1:0.1. It is believed that selecting the desired ratio of biopolymer to crosslinker can provide the desired ductility benefits as well as improved biodegradability. Preferably at least 21 wt% of the shell consists of a portion derived from chitosan, preferably from acid-treated chitosan. The weight percentage of chitosan in the shell can be from about 21% to about 95% of the shell. Based on weight, the ratio of chitosan in the aqueous phase to the crosslinker (preferably isocyanate) in the oil phase can be from 21:79 to 90:10, or even 1:2 to 10:1, or even 1:1 to 7:1. The polymeric material can be formed in a reaction in which the weight ratio of chitosan or its derivatives (which can include acid-treated chitosan) present in the reaction to the crosslinker present in the reaction is from about 1:10 to about 10:1, preferably from about 1:5 to about 5:1, preferably from about 1:4 to about 5:1, more preferably from about 1:1 to about 5:1, more preferably from about 3:1 to about 5:1. The shell can contain a content of chitosan of 21 wt% or even higher, preferably from about 21 wt% to about 90 wt%, or even from 21 wt% to 85 wt%, or even from 21 wt% to 75 wt%, or 21 wt% to 55 wt% of the total shell of chitosan. The chitosan in this paragraph can preferably be acid-treated chitosan.

[0064] A population of delivery particles can be prepared according to a method comprising the steps of: (a) forming an aqueous phase comprising chitosan as described herein, preferably wherein the aqueous phase is at a pH of 6.5 or lower, more preferably at a pH of 3 to 6, and at a temperature of at least 25 °C; (b) forming an oil phase comprising at least one beneficial agent, preferably an aromatic material, and at least one crosslinking agent, preferably at least one polyisocyanate, and optionally a partitioning modifier; (c) forming an emulsion by mixing the aqueous phase and the oil phase under high shear agitation, preferably a water-in-oil emulsion, optionally adjusting the pH of the emulsion to within the range of pH 2 to pH 6, preferably pH 3 to pH 6; (d) curing the emulsion by heating, preferably to at least 40 °C, for a time sufficient to form a shell at the interface of the oil droplets and the aqueous phase, wherein the shell will comprise a polymeric material that is a reaction product of chitosan and the crosslinking agent, and wherein the shell surrounds a core comprising the beneficial agent.

[0065] A population of delivery particles can be prepared according to a method comprising the steps of: (a) forming an aqueous phase by treating chitosan with a mixture of a first acid and a second acid, the first acid comprising a strong acid and the second acid comprising a weak acid, wherein the chitosan is treated at a pH of 6.5 or lower, or even below pH 6.5, or even at a pH of 3 to 6, and at a temperature of at least 25 °C for at least one hour; (b) forming an oil phase by dissolving together at least one beneficial agent and at least one polyisocyanate optionally with an added oil (e.g., a partitioning modifier) and / or a solvent; (c) forming an emulsion by mixing the aqueous phase and the oil phase into an excess of the aqueous phase under high shear agitation, thereby forming droplets of the oil phase comprising the beneficial agent dispersed in the aqueous phase, and optionally adjusting the pH of the emulsion to within the range of pH 2 to pH 6, preferably pH 3 to pH 6; (d) curing the emulsion by heating to at least 40 °C for a time sufficient to form a shell at the interface of the droplets and the aqueous phase, the shell comprising a reaction product of the polyisocyanate and the acid-treated chitosan, and the shell surrounding a core comprising the droplets of the oil phase and the beneficial agent.

[0066] Chitosan can be added to water in a jacketed reactor and adjusted using an acid such as concentrated HCl at a pH of 2 or even 3 to 6.5. The chitosan in the mixture can be acid-treated by heating to an elevated temperature (such as 85 °C) within 60 minutes and then held at that temperature for 1 minute to 1440 minutes or longer. The aqueous phase can then be cooled to 25 °C. Optionally, deacetylation can also be further promoted or enhanced by an enzyme to depolymerize or deacetylate the chitosan. The oil phase can be prepared by dissolving a trimer of an isocyanate such as xylylene diisocyanate (XDI) or a polymer of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) in oil at 25 °C. A diluent, such as isopropyl myristate, can be used to adjust the hydrophobicity of the oil phase. The oil phase can then be added to the aqueous phase and milled at high speed to obtain the target size. The emulsion can then be cured in one or more heating steps, such as heating to 40 °C within 30 minutes and holding at 40 °C for 60 minutes. The time and temperature are approximate. The temperature and time are selected to be sufficient to form and cure a shell at the interface of the droplets of the oil phase and the water continuous phase. For example, the emulsion can be heated to 85 °C within 60 minutes and then held at 85 °C for 360 minutes to cure the particles. The slurry can then be cooled to room temperature.

[0067] When tested according to test method OECD 301B, the shell can degrade by at least 50% after 20 days (or less). When tested according to test method OECD 301B, the shell can degrade at least 60% of its mass after 60 days (or less). When tested according to test method OECD 301B, the shell can preferably degrade at least 60% of its mass after 60 days (or less). The shell can degrade 30% to 100%, preferably 40% to 100%, 50% to 100%, 60% to 100% or 60% to 95% after 60 days, preferably 50 days, more preferably 40 days, more preferably 28 days, more preferably 14 days.

[0068] The delivery particles of the present disclosure include a core. The core contains a beneficial agent. The core optionally contains a partitioning modifier.

[0069] The core of the particle is surrounded by a shell. When the shell ruptures, the beneficial agent in the core is released. Additionally or alternatively, the beneficial agent in the core can diffuse out of the particle, and / or it can be extruded. Suitable beneficial agents located in the core can include beneficial agents that provide a beneficial effect to a surface (such as a fabric or hair).

[0070] The core can contain from about 5% to about 100% by weight of the core of the beneficial agent, which can preferably contain a fragrance. The core can contain from about 45% to about 95%, preferably from about 50% to about 80%, more preferably from about 50% to about 70% by weight of the core of the beneficial agent, which can preferably contain a fragrance.

[0071] The beneficial agent may comprise an aldehyde-containing beneficial agent, a ketone-containing beneficial agent, or a combination thereof. Such beneficial agents (e.g., aldehyde / ketone-containing fragrance raw materials) are known to provide preferred beneficial effects, such as a refreshing beneficial effect. The beneficial agent may comprise at least about 20%, preferably at least about 25%, more preferably at least about 40%, and even more preferably at least about 50% of an aldehyde-containing beneficial agent, a ketone-containing beneficial agent, or a combination thereof, based on the weight of the beneficial agent.

[0072] The beneficial agent may be a hydrophobic beneficial agent. Such agents are compatible with the oil phase commonly found in preparing the delivery particles of the present disclosure.

[0073] The beneficial agent is selected to provide a benefit under the preferred use of the treatment composition. The beneficial agent in the core may be selected from the group consisting of: fragrance materials, silicone oils, waxes, hydrocarbons, higher fatty acids, essential oils, lubricants, lipids, skin coolants, vitamins, sunscreens, antioxidants, glycerin, catalysts, bleaching agent particles, silica particles, malodor weakeners, odor control materials, chelating agents, antistatic agents, softeners, insect and moth repellents, colorants, base agents, disinfecting drapes and morphology control agents, smoothing agents, wrinkle control agents, hygienic treatment agents, disinfectants, microbial control agents, mildew control agents, mold control agents, antiviral agents, desiccants, antifouling agents, detergents, fabric fresheners and freshness extenders, chlorine bleach odor control agents, dye fixatives, dye transfer inhibitors, color retention agents, optical brighteners, color restoration / recovery agents, anti-fading agents, whiteness enhancers, anti-abrasion agents, anti-wear agents, fabric integrity agents, anti-pilling agents, defoaming agents, ultraviolet protection agents, photo-fading inhibitors, anti-allergenic agents, enzymes, water repellents, fabric comfort agents, anti-shrinkage agents, anti-stretching agents, stretch recovery agents, skin care agents, synthetic or natural active substances, antibacterial active substances, antiperspirant active substances, cationic polymers, dyes, and mixtures thereof.

[0074] The beneficial agent in the core preferably comprises a fragrance material (or simply "fragrance"), which may include one or more fragrance raw materials. The fragrance is particularly suitable for encapsulation in the delivery particles of the present invention because fragrance-containing particles can provide a refreshing beneficial effect across multiple contact points.

[0075] As used herein, the term "perfume raw material" (or "PRM") refers to a compound having a molecular weight of at least about 100 g / mol, and which can be used alone or in combination with other perfume raw materials to impart an odor, aroma, fragrance or scent. Typical PRMs include, inter alia, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, esters, ethers, nitrites and olefins, such as terpenes. Lists of common PRMs can be found in various references, such as "Perfume and Flavor Chemicals", Volumes I and II; Steffen Arctander Allured Pub. Co. (1994) and "Perfumes: Art, Science and Technology", Miller, P.M. and Lamparsky, D., Blackie Academic and Professional (1994).

[0076] PRMs can be characterized by their boiling point (B.P.) measured at normal pressure (760 mmHg), and their octanol / water partition coefficient (P), which can be described as logP and is determined according to the test methods described below. Based on these properties, PRMs can be classified as Quadrant I, Quadrant II, Quadrant III or Quadrant IV perfumes, as described in more detail in U.S. Patent 6,869,923. Suitable Quadrant I, Quadrant II, Quadrant III and Quadrant IV perfume raw materials are disclosed therein.

[0077] Perfume raw materials having a boiling point B.P. of less than about 250 °C and a logP of less than about 3 are referred to as Quadrant I perfume raw materials. Quadrant I perfume raw materials are preferably limited to less than 30% of the fragrance material.

[0078] The fragrance can include perfume raw materials having a logP of about 2.5 to about 4. It should be understood that other perfume raw materials may also be present in the fragrance.

[0079] The core of the delivery particles of the present disclosure can contain a partitioning modifier, which can promote a more robust shell formation. The partitioning modifier can be combined with the perfume oil material of the core before incorporation of the wall-forming monomers. The partitioning modifier can be present in the core in an amount of 0% to 95%, preferably about 5% to about 55%, preferably about 10% to about 50%, more preferably about 20% to about 50%, even more preferably about 25% to about 50% by weight of the core.

[0080] The partitioning modifier can contain materials selected from: vegetable oils, modified vegetable oils, C4-C 24Mono-esters, di-esters and tri-esters of fatty acids, isopropyl myristate, lauryl benzoate, lauryl laurate, methyl behenate, methyl laurate, methyl palmitate, methyl stearate and mixtures thereof. The partitioning modifier may preferably comprise isopropyl myristate or even consist of isopropyl myristate. The modified vegetable oil may be esterified and / or brominated. The modified vegetable oil may preferably comprise castor oil and / or soybean oil. U.S. Patent Application Publication 20110268802, which is incorporated herein by reference, describes other partitioning modifiers that can be used in the delivery particles described herein.

[0081] When the beneficial agent alone is not sufficient to serve as the oil phase or solvent, particularly during the process of forming the shell of the delivery particle for the wall-forming material, the oil phase may comprise a suitable carrier and / or solvent. In this sense, the oil is optional because the beneficial agent itself can sometimes be an oil. These carriers or solvents are generally oils, preferably having a boiling point greater than about 80 °C and low volatility and being non-flammable. Although not limited thereto, they preferably comprise one or more esters, preferably esters and / or triglycerides having a chain length of at most 18 carbon atoms or even at most 42 carbon atoms, such as esters of C6 to C12 fatty acids with glycerol.

[0082] Optionally, the aqueous phase may comprise an emulsifier. Non-limiting examples of emulsifiers include anionic surfactants (such as alkyl sulfates, alkyl ether sulfates and / or alkyl benzene sulfonates), non-ionic surfactants (such as alkoxylated alcohols, preferably containing ethoxy), polyvinyl alcohol, and / or polyvinyl pyrrolidone. It is possible in the present application that dissolved chitosan can provide emulsification benefits. The emulsifier (if used) is generally from about 0.1 wt% to 40 wt%, preferably 0.2 wt% to about 15 wt%, more typically 0.5 wt% to 10 wt% based on the total weight of the aqueous phase.

[0083] The population of delivery particles can be provided as a slurry, preferably an aqueous slurry. The slurry may comprise one or more processing aids, which may include water, aggregation-inhibiting substances such as divalent salts, or particulate suspension polymers such as xanthan gum, guar gum, cellulose (preferably microfibrillated cellulose) and / or carboxymethyl cellulose. When the delivery particles are characterized by cationic properties (e.g., when the shell is at least partially derived from chitosan), non-anionic structuring agents, preferably non-ionic structuring agents, may be preferred, for example to avoid harmful charge interactions that can lead to undesirable aggregation.

[0084] The slurry may comprise one or more carriers selected from the group consisting of: polar solvents including but not limited to water, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, glycerol; non-polar solvents including but not limited to mineral oil, perfume raw materials, silicone oil, hydrocarbon paraffin oil; and mixtures thereof. An aqueous slurry may be preferred. The slurry may comprise (“free”) unencapsulated perfume raw materials that differ in properties and / or amount from those encapsulated in the core of the delivery particles.

[0085] The slurry may comprise a deposition aid, which may include polymers selected from the group consisting of: polysaccharides such as chitosan, cationically modified starch and / or cationically modified guar gum; polysiloxanes; polydiallyldimethylammonium halide; copolymers of polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride and polyvinylpyrrolidone; compositions comprising polyethylene glycol and polyvinylpyrrolidone; acrylamide; imidazole; imidazoline halide; polyvinylamine; copolymers of polyvinylamine and N-vinylformamide; polyvinylformamide, polyvinyl alcohol; polyvinyl alcohol crosslinked with boric acid; polyacrylic acid; polyglycerether siloxane crosslinked polymers; copolymers of polyacrylic acid, polyacrylate, polyvinylamine and polyvinyl alcohol oligomers of amines, in one aspect diethylenetriamine, ethylenediamine, bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine, N,N-bis-(3-aminopropyl)methylamine, tris(2-aminoethyl)amine and mixtures thereof; polyethyleneimine, derivatized polyethyleneimine, in one aspect ethoxylated polyethyleneimine; polymeric compounds comprising at least two moieties on the backbone of polybutadiene, polyisoprene, polybutadiene / styrene, polybutadiene / acrylonitrile, carboxyl-terminated polybutadiene / acrylonitrile or combinations thereof, the at least two moieties being selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acid moieties, amine moieties, hydroxyl moieties and nitrile moieties; preformed coacervates of anionic surfactants in combination with cationic polymers; polyamines, and mixtures thereof.

[0086] At least one population of delivery particles may be included in an agglomerate and then combined with a different population of delivery particles and at least one adjuvant material. The agglomerate may comprise materials selected from the following: silica, citric acid, sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, sodium chloride and substrates such as sodium silicate, modified cellulose, polyethylene glycol, polyacrylate, polyacrylic acid, zeolite, and mixtures thereof.

[0087] Suitable equipment for use in the methods disclosed herein may include continuous stirred tank reactors, homogenizers, turbine agitators, recycle pumps, paddle mixers, plowshare shear mixers, ribbon blenders, vertical shaft granulators, and tumble blenders (the latter two of which may be in batch process configurations and continuous process configurations (when available)), spray dryers, and extruders. Such equipment may be purchased from Lodige GmbH (Paderborn, Germany), Littleford Day, Inc. (Florence, Ky., U.S.A.), Forberg AS (Larvik, Norway), Glatt Ingenieurtechnik GmbH (Weimar, Germany), Niro (Soeborg, Denmark), Hosokawa Bepex Corp. (Minneapolis, Minn., U.S.A.), Arde Barinco (New Jersey, U.S.A.).

[0088] Auxiliary ingredient

[0089] In addition to delivering the particles, the treatment compositions of the present disclosure may also include one or more adjunct materials. The adjunct materials may provide beneficial effects in the intended end use of the composition, or they may be processing aids and / or stabilizing aids.

[0090] Suitable adjunct materials may include: surfactants, conditioning actives, deposition aids, rheology modifiers or structurants, bleaching systems, stabilizers, builders, chelating agents, dye transfer inhibitors, dispersants, enzymes and enzyme stabilizers, catalytic metal complexes, polymeric dispersants, clays and soil removal / anti-redeposition agents, optical brighteners, defoamers, silicones, hueing agents, aesthetic dyes, additional fragrances and fragrance delivery systems, structure elasticizers, carriers, hydrotropes, processing aids, anti-caking agents, coatings, formaldehyde scavengers, and / or pigments. Preferably, the adjunct materials include additional fabric conditioners, dyes, pH control agents, solvents, rheology modifiers, structurants, cationic polymers, surfactants, fragrances, additional fragrance delivery systems, chelating agents, antioxidants, preservatives, or mixtures thereof.

[0091] Depending on the intended form, formulation, and / or end use, the compositions of the present disclosure may not contain one or more of the following adjunct materials: bleach activators, surfactants, builders, chelating agents, dye transfer inhibitors, dispersants, enzymes and enzyme stabilizers, catalytic metal complexes, polymeric dispersants, clays and soil removal / antiredeposition agents, optical brighteners, defoamers, dyes, additional fragrances and fragrance delivery systems, structurants, fabric softeners, carriers, hydrotropes, processing aids, structuring agents, anti-caking agents, coatings, formaldehyde scavengers, and / or pigments.

[0092] The exact nature of these additional components and their levels of incorporation will depend on the physical form of the composition and the nature of the operations for which it is used. However, when one or more adjuncts are present, such one or more adjuncts may be present as detailed below. The following is a non-limiting list of suitable additional adjuncts.

[0093] A. Surfactant

[0094] The compositions of the present disclosure may contain surfactants. For example, surfactants can be used to provide cleaning benefits. The composition may contain a surfactant system, which may contain one or more surfactants.

[0095] The compositions of the present disclosure may contain from about 0.1% to about 70%, or from about 2% to about 60%, or from about 5% to about 50% by weight of the composition of a surfactant system. Liquid compositions may contain from about 5% to about 40% by weight of the composition of a surfactant system. Compact formulations, including compact liquids, gels, and / or compositions suitable for unit dosage forms, may contain from about 25% to about 70% or from about 30% to about 50% by weight of the composition of a surfactant system.

[0096] The surfactant system may include anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, or combinations thereof. The surfactant system may include linear alkylbenzene sulfonates, alkyl ethoxylated sulfates, alkyl sulfates, nonionic surfactants such as ethoxylated alcohols, amine oxides, or mixtures thereof. The surfactants may be at least partially derived from natural sources, such as natural raw material alcohols.

[0097] Suitable anionic surfactants can include any conventional anionic surfactants. This can include sulfate detergent surfactants (such as alkoxylated and / or non-alkoxylated alkyl sulfate materials) and / or sulfonate detergent surfactants (such as alkylbenzene sulfonates). The anionic surfactant can be straight-chain, branched-chain, or a combination thereof. Preferred surfactants include linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS), alkyl ethoxylated sulfates (AES), alkyl sulfates (AS), or mixtures thereof. Other suitable anionic surfactants include branched-chain modified alkylbenzene sulfonates (MLAS), methyl ester sulfonates (MES), sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES), and / or alkyl ethoxylated carboxylates (AEC). The anionic surfactant can be present in acid form, salt form, or a mixture thereof. The anionic surfactant can be partially or fully neutralized with, for example, an alkali metal (such as sodium) or an amine (such as monoethanolamine). Due to the presence of cationic ester quaternary compound materials, it may be desirable to limit the amount of anionic surfactant to avoid undesirable interactions of the materials; for example, the composition can contain less than 5%, preferably less than 3%, more preferably less than 1%, and even more preferably less than 0.1% anionic surfactant by weight of the composition.

[0098] The surfactant system can include nonionic surfactants. Suitable nonionic surfactants include alkoxylated fatty alcohols, such as ethoxylated fatty alcohols. Other suitable nonionic surfactants include alkoxylated alkylphenols, alkylphenol condensates, mid-chain branched alcohols, mid-chain branched alkyl alkoxylates, alkyl polysaccharides (such as alkyl polyglycosides), polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, ether-capped poly(alkoxylated) alcohol surfactants, and mixtures thereof. The alkoxylate units can be ethyleneoxy units, propyleneoxy units, or a mixture thereof. The nonionic surfactant can be straight-chain, branched-chain (such as mid-chain branched), or a combination thereof. Specific nonionic surfactants can include alcohols having an average of about 12 to about 16 carbon atoms and an average of about 3 to about 9 ethoxy groups, such as C12-C14 EO7 nonionic surfactant.

[0099] Suitable zwitterionic surfactants can include any conventional zwitterionic surfactants, such as betaines, including alkyl dimethyl betaines and coconut dimethylamidopropyl betaines, C8 to C 18 (e.g., C 12 to C 18 ) amine oxides (e.g., C 12-14 dimethyl amine oxide), and / or sulfobetaines and hydroxybetaines, such as N-alkyl-N,N-dimethylamino-1-propane sulfonates, wherein the alkyl group can be C8 to C 18 or C 10 to C 14The zwitterionic surfactant may include amine oxides.

[0100] Depending on the formulation and / or intended end use, the composition may be substantially free of certain surfactants. For example, a liquid fabric enhancer composition, such as a fabric softener, may be substantially free of anionic surfactants because such surfactants can interact unfavorably with cationic components.

[0101] B. Conditioning active substance

[0102] The compositions of the present disclosure may contain conditioning actives. Compositions containing conditioning actives may provide softness, anti-wrinkle, anti-static, conditioning, anti-stretch, color and / or appearance benefits.

[0103] The conditioning actives may be present at a level of from about 1% to about 99% by weight of the composition. The composition may contain from about 1%, or about 2%, or about 3% to about 99%, or up to about 75%, or up to about 50%, or up to about 40%, or up to about 35%, or up to about 30%, or up to about 25%, or up to about 20%, or up to about 15%, or up to about 10% by weight of the composition of the conditioning actives. The composition may contain from about 5% to about 30% by weight of the conditioning actives.

[0104] Conditioning actives suitable for the compositions of the present disclosure may include quaternary ammonium ester compounds, siloxanes, non-ester quaternary ammonium compounds, amines, fatty esters, sucrose esters, siloxanes, dispersible polyolefins, polysaccharides, fatty acids, softening or conditioning oils, polymer latexes, or combinations thereof. Preferably, the treatment composition is a fabric care composition, wherein the one or more adjuvant components include quaternary ammonium ester materials; such materials are particularly suitable for fabric enhancing / conditioning / softening compositions.

[0105] The composition may contain a quaternary ammonium ester compound, a silicone, or a combination thereof, preferably a combination. The total amount of the combination of the quaternary ammonium ester compound and the silicone may be from about 5% to about 70%, or about 6% to about 50%, or about 7% to about 40%, or about 10% to about 30%, or about 15% to about 25% by weight of the composition. The composition may contain the quaternary ammonium ester compound and the silicone in a weight ratio of from about 1:10 to about 10:1, or about 1:5 to about 5:1, or about 1:3 to about 1:3, or about 1:2 to about 2:1, or about 1:1.5 to about 1.5:1, or about 1:1.

[0106] The composition may contain a mixture of different types of conditioning actives. The compositions of the present disclosure may contain certain conditioning actives but be substantially free of other conditioning actives. For example, the composition may be free of quaternary ammonium ester compounds, siloxanes, or both. The composition may contain quaternary ammonium ester compounds but be substantially free of siloxanes. The composition may contain siloxanes but be substantially free of quaternary ammonium ester compounds.

[0107] C. Deposition aid

[0108] The compositions of the present disclosure may include deposition aids. As described above, due to the synergistic beneficial effects from the ester quaternary ammonium compound materials and the delivery particles of the present disclosure, relatively little (or even no) deposition aid may be needed to provide similar or even improved performance; alternatively, deposition aids may be used in the compositions of the present disclosure to further enhance performance.

[0109] Deposition aids may facilitate the deposition of delivery particles, conditioning actives, fragrances, or combinations thereof, thereby improving the performance benefits of the composition and / or allowing for more efficient formulation of such beneficial agents. The composition may include from 0.0001% to 3%, preferably from 0.0005% to 2%, more preferably from 0.001% to 1%, or about 0.01% to about 0.5%, or about 0.05% to about 0.3% by weight of the composition of the deposition aid. The deposition aid may be a cationic polymer or an amphoteric polymer, preferably a cationic polymer.

[0110] Generally speaking, cationic polymers and their methods of manufacture are known in the literature. Suitable cationic polymers may include quaternary ammonium polymers referred to as "polyquaternium" polymers, as designated by the International Nomenclature for Cosmetic Ingredients, such as polyquaternium-6 (poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)), polyquaternium-7 (copolymer of acrylamide and diallyldimethylammonium chloride), polyquaternium-10 (quaternized hydroxyethyl cellulose), polyquaternium-22 (copolymer of acrylic acid and diallyldimethylammonium chloride), and the like.

[0111] The deposition aid may be selected from polyvinylformamide, partially hydroxylated polyvinylformamide, polyvinylamine, polyvinylimine, ethoxylated polyvinylimine, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylate, and combinations thereof. The cationic polymer may include cationic acrylate.

[0112] The deposition aid may be added simultaneously with the delivery particles (simultaneously with, for example, the encapsulated beneficial agent) or added directly / independently to the consumer product composition. As measured by size exclusion chromatography relative to a polyethylene oxide standard using refractive index (RI) detection, the weight average molecular weight of the polymer may be from 500 daltons to 5,000,000 daltons, or from 1,000 daltons to 2,000,000 daltons, or from 2,500 daltons to 1,500,000 daltons. The weight average molecular weight of the cationic polymer may be from 5,000 daltons to 37,500 daltons.

[0113] D. Rheology modifier / structurant

[0114] The compositions of the present disclosure may comprise a rheology modifier and / or a structuring agent. A rheology modifier can be used to "thicken" or "thin" a liquid composition to a desired viscosity. A structuring agent can be used to promote phase stability and / or suspend or inhibit aggregation of particles in a liquid composition, such as the delivery particles described herein.

[0115] Suitable rheology modifiers and / or structuring agents can include non-polymeric crystalline hydroxy-functionalized structuring agents (including those based on hydrogenated castor oil), polymeric structuring agents, cellulose fibers (e.g., microfibrillated cellulose, which can be derived from bacterial, fungal or plant sources, including wood), diacylamino gelling agents, or combinations thereof.

[0116] Polymeric structuring agents can be of natural or synthetic origin. Natural origin polymeric structuring agents can include: hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydrophobically modified hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, polysaccharide derivatives, and mixtures thereof. Polysaccharide derivatives can include: pectin, alginate, arabinogalactan (gum arabic), carrageenan, gellan gum, xanthan gum, guar gum, and mixtures thereof. Synthetic polymeric structuring agents can include: polycarboxylates, polyacrylates, hydrophobically modified ethoxylated polyurethanes, hydrophobically modified nonionic polyols, and mixtures thereof. Polycarboxylate polymers can include polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, or mixtures thereof. Polyacrylates can include copolymers of unsaturated mono- or di-carboxylic acids with C1-C 30 alkyl esters of (meth)acrylic acid. Such copolymers are available from Noveon under the trade name Carbopol Aqua 30. Crosslinked polymers, such as crosslinked polyacrylates and / or polymers and / or copolymers, such as those further comprising nonionic monomers (such as acrylamide or methacrylamide monomers), can be used as structuring agents. Another suitable structuring agent is sold under the trade name Rheovis CDE and is available from BASF.

[0117] E. Other auxiliaries

[0118] The treatment compositions of the present disclosure may comprise other adjuvants suitable for inclusion in a product and / or suitable for end use. For example, the treatment compositions can comprise neat fragrances, fragrance delivery technologies (such as pre-fragrances and / or encapsulates with non-polyisocyanate / chitosan wall materials), cationic surfactants, cationic polymers, solvents, defoamers, or combinations thereof.

[0119] Method for preparing treatment composition

[0120] The present disclosure also relates to methods for preparing treatment compositions, such as those treatment compositions and / or consumer product compositions described herein.

[0121] The method may comprise the following steps: providing a base composition, wherein the base composition comprises a processing aid, and combining a population of delivery particles with the base composition. The population of delivery particles may preferably be provided as an aqueous slurry. The base composition is in the form of a liquid composition.

[0122] When the delivery particles are in one or more forms (including slurry form, pure particle form, and / or spray-dried particle form), preferably in slurry form, the delivery particles may be combined with the one or more auxiliary components. The delivery particles may be combined with such auxiliary components by methods including mixing and / or spraying.

[0123] The treatment composition of the present disclosure may be formulated into any suitable form and prepared by any method selected by the formulator. The one or more auxiliary components and the delivery particles may be combined in a batch process, in a recycle loop process, and / or by an in-line mixing method. Suitable equipment for use in the methods disclosed herein may include continuous stirred tank reactors, homogenizers, turbine agitators, recycle pumps, paddle mixers, high-shear mixers, static mixers, plow shear mixers, ribbon blenders, vertical-axis granulators, and drum mixers (both of which may be in intermittent process configurations and continuous process configurations (when available)), spray dryers, and extruders.

[0124] The treatment composition may be placed in a container to form a consumer product as described herein. The container may be a bottle, preferably a plastic bottle. The treatment composition may be placed in an aerosol or other spray container according to known methods.

[0125] Treatment method

[0126] The present disclosure also relates to a method of treating a surface (preferably a fabric). Generally speaking, the method includes the step of contacting the surface (preferably a fabric) with a treatment composition according to the present disclosure, wherein the treatment composition comprises a population of delivery particles as described herein.

[0127] Additionally or alternatively, the method may include the step of contacting the surface (preferably a fabric) with a population of delivery particles as described herein. The population of delivery particles may be contained in a treatment composition according to the present disclosure, preferably a fabric care composition.

[0128] The method may include the step of contacting a fabric (such as a garment) with a treatment composition. The treatment composition comprises a population of delivery particles. The contacting step causes one or more delivery particles to deposit on the surface of the fabric. The delivery particles comprise a core and a shell surrounding the core, wherein the core comprises a beneficial agent, preferably an aromatic material comprising one or more perfume raw materials. The shell comprises a polymeric material, for example, the polymeric material is a reaction product of chitosan of a specific molecular weight and a cross-linking agent. Suitable treatment compositions and delivery particles are described in more detail above.

[0129] The contacting step can occur during a manual laundry process, such as in a washbasin when handling the fabric by hand, or during an automatic laundry process, such as in an automatic washing machine. The contacting step can occur during the washing cycle of an automatic washing machine; in such cases, the treatment composition can be a laundry detergent or a laundry additive. The contacting step can preferably occur during the rinse cycle of an automatic washing machine; in such cases, the treatment composition can be a fabric softener, preferably a liquid fabric softener. The contacting step can even occur during the drying step of the laundry process, such as in an automatic dryer; in such cases, the treatment composition can be in the form of a non-woven dryer sheet or a dryer bar. The contacting step can occur due to the direct application of the treatment composition onto the fabric, such as in a pre-treatment operation or in a "refreshing" step (e.g., for fabrics that have been used or worn since the last wash); in such cases, the treatment composition can be in the form of a liquid, stick or spray, preferably a spray. Contacting the target fabric relatively late in the laundering process, such as during the rinse cycle, increases the likelihood or efficiency of deposition onto the fabric as they are less likely to be rinsed down the drain.

[0130] The contacting step can be carried out in the presence of water. The treatment composition can be diluted with water to form a treatment liquid. The treatment composition can be diluted from about 100-fold to about 1500-fold, preferably from 300-fold to about 1000-fold.

[0131] The liquid containing the disclosed composition can have a pH of about 3 to about 11.5. Such compositions are typically used at a concentration of about 500 ppm to about 15,000 ppm in solution when diluted. When the washing solvent is water, the water temperature is typically in the range of about 5°C to about 90°C, and the ratio of water to fabric can typically be from about 1:1 to about 30:1.

[0132] Dilution can occur in the drum of an automatic washing machine. The treatment composition can be placed in the dispenser drawer of an automatic washing machine. During the treatment process, the treatment composition can be dispensed from the dispenser drawer into the drum.

[0133] As described above, the method can further include a step of drying the fabric that has one or more delivery particles on the surface of the fabric. The drying step can include a passive drying process, such as on a clothesline or drying rack. The drying step can include an automatic drying process, such as in an automatic dryer.

[0134] Combination

[0135] Specifically contemplated combinations of the present disclosure are described herein in the following lettered paragraphs. These combinations are exemplary in nature and not restrictive.

[0136] A. A treatment composition comprising a processing aid and a population of delivery particles, wherein the delivery particles comprise a core and a shell surrounding the core, wherein the core comprises a beneficial agent, wherein the shell comprises a polymeric material which is a reaction product of chitosan and a crosslinking agent, and wherein the chitosan is characterized by a weight average molecular weight of from about 100 kDa to about 600 kDa.

[0137] B. The treatment composition according to paragraph A, wherein the chitosan is characterized by a weight average molecular weight of from about 100 kDa to about 500 kDa, preferably from about 100 kDa to about 400 kDa, more preferably from about 100 kDa to about 300 kDa, even more preferably from about 100 kDa to about 200 kDa.

[0138] C. The treatment composition according to any one of paragraphs A or B, wherein the chitosan is characterized by at least one of the following, preferably at least two, more preferably all three: (a) a polydispersity index (Mw / Mn) of from about 1.2 to about 4, preferably from about 1.4 to about 3.8, more preferably from about 2.2 to about 2.6; and / or (b) a value defined by (Mz - Mp) of from about 60 kDa to about 3500 kDa; and / or (c) a degree of deacetylation of at least 50%, preferably from about 50% to about 99%, more preferably from about 75% to about 90%, even more preferably from about 80% to about 85%.

[0139] D. The treatment composition according to any one of paragraphs A to C, wherein the chitosan is acid-treated chitosan, preferably wherein the acid-treated chitosan is treated with an acid at a temperature of from about 25°C to about 99°C, preferably from about 75°C to about 95°C, at a pH of 6.5 or lower for at least one hour, preferably from about one hour to about three hours, or for the period of time required to obtain a chitosan solution viscosity of no more than about 1500 cps, or even no more than 500 cps, wherein the acid is selected from strong acids, organic acids or mixtures thereof.

[0140] E. The treatment composition according to any one of paragraphs A to D, wherein the chitosan is anion-modified chitosan, cation-modified chitosan or a combination thereof.

[0141] F. A treatment composition according to any one of paragraphs A to E, wherein the crosslinking agent comprises a polyisocyanate, preferably a polyisocyanate selected from the group consisting of: polyisocyanurates of toluene diisocyanate; trimethylolpropane adducts of toluene diisocyanate; trimethylolpropane adducts of xylylene diisocyanate; 2,2'-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate; 4,4'-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate; 2,4'-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate; [diisocyanato(phenyl)methyl]benzene; toluene diisocyanate; tetramethylxylylene diisocyanate; naphthalene-1,5-diisocyanate; 1,4-phenylene diisocyanate; 1,3-diisocyanatobenzene; their derivatives; and combinations thereof.

[0142] G. A treatment composition according to any one of paragraphs A to F, wherein the reaction product is formed in a reaction in which the weight ratio of the chitosan present in the reaction to the crosslinking agent present in the reaction is from about 1:10 to about 1:0.1.

[0143] H. A treatment composition according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the beneficial agent is an aromatic material.

[0144] I. A treatment composition according to any one of paragraphs A to H, wherein the core further comprises a dispensing modifier, which is optionally present in the core in an amount of about 5% to about 55%, preferably about 10% to about 50%, more preferably about 25% to about 50% by weight of the core, and is preferably a dispensing modifier selected from the group consisting of:

[0145] vegetable oils, modified vegetable oils, mono-, di- and triesters of C4-C 24 fatty acids, isopropyl myristate, lauryl benzophenone, lauryl laurate, methyl behenate, methyl laurate, methyl palmitate, methyl stearate, and mixtures thereof, more preferably isopropyl myristate.

[0146] J. A treatment composition according to any one of paragraphs A to I, wherein the delivery particles are characterized by a volume-weighted median particle size of from about 1 micron to about 100 microns, preferably from about 10 microns to about 100 microns, preferably from about 15 microns to about 50 microns, more preferably from about 20 microns to about 40 microns, and even more preferably from about 25 microns to about 35 microns.

[0147] K. A treatment composition according to any one of paragraphs A to J, wherein the delivery particles can be obtained from a method comprising the steps of: forming an aqueous phase by treating the chitosan with an acid, wherein the chitosan is treated at a pH of 6.5 or lower, preferably less than pH 6.5, more preferably a pH of 3 to 6, and a temperature of at least 25 °C for at least one hour, preferably wherein the acid comprises a mixture of a first acid and a second acid, the first acid comprising a strong acid and the second acid comprising a weak acid; forming an oil phase, including dissolving at least one beneficial agent and at least one polyisocyanate optionally with an added oil, preferably a partitioning modifier; forming an emulsion by mixing the aqueous phase and the oil phase together into an excess of the aqueous phase under high-shear agitation, thereby forming droplets of the oil phase dispersed in the aqueous phase, and optionally adjusting the pH of the emulsion to within the range of pH 2 to pH 6; curing the emulsion by heating to at least 40 °C for a time sufficient to form a shell at the interface of the droplets and the aqueous phase, the shell comprising a reaction product of the polyisocyanate and the acid-treated chitosan, and the shell surrounding a core comprising the oil phase and the beneficial agent.

[0148] L. A treatment composition according to any one of paragraphs A to K, wherein when tested according to test method OECD 301B, the shell of the delivery particles degrades by at least 60% within 60 days.

[0149] M. A treatment composition according to any one of paragraphs A to L, wherein the treatment aids are selected from the group consisting of surfactants, conditioning actives, deposition aids, rheology modifiers or structurants, bleaching systems, stabilizers, builders, chelating agents, dye transfer inhibitors, dispersants, enzymes, enzyme stabilizers, catalytic metal complexes, polymeric dispersants, clays and soil removal / antiredeposition agents, optical brighteners, antifoaming agents, silicones, colorants, aesthetic dyes, perfume bases, additional perfume delivery systems, structuring elastifiers, carriers, hydrotropes, processing aids, antiagglomerants, coatings, formaldehyde scavengers, pigments and mixtures thereof.

[0150] N. A treatment composition according to any one of paragraphs A to M, wherein the treatment aids comprise an anionic surfactant, a cationic conditioner or a mixture thereof.

[0151] O. A treatment composition according to any one of paragraphs A to N, wherein the treatment composition is a fabric care composition, a hard surface cleaner composition, a dish care composition, a hair care composition, a body cleansing composition or a mixture thereof, preferably a fabric care composition, more preferably a fabric care composition as a laundry detergent composition, a fabric conditioner composition, a laundry additive, a fabric pretreatment composition, a fabric freshener composition or a mixture thereof.

[0152] P. A treatment composition according to any one of paragraphs A to O, wherein the treatment composition is in the form of a liquid composition, a particulate composition, an aqueous colloid, a single-compartment sachet, a multi-compartment sachet, a soluble sheet, a lozenge or bead, a fibrous article, a tablet, a stick, a bar, a wafer, a foam / mousse, a non-woven sheet or a mixture thereof, preferably in the form of a liquid composition.

[0153] Q. A treatment composition according to any one of paragraphs A to P, wherein the treatment composition comprises from about 50% to about 99% water, preferably from about 60% to about 98%, more preferably from about 80% to about 96% water, by weight of the treatment composition.

[0154] R. A method of preparing a treatment composition according to any one of paragraphs A to Q, the method comprising the steps of: providing a base composition, wherein the base composition comprises the treatment aid, and combining the delivery particle population with the base composition.

[0155] S. A method according to paragraph R, wherein the delivery particle population is provided as an aqueous slurry.

[0156] T. A method according to any one of paragraphs R or S, wherein the base composition is in the form of a liquid composition.

[0157] U. A method of treating a surface, the method comprising the step of: contacting the surface, preferably a fabric, with a treatment composition according to any one of paragraphs A to Q.

[0158] Test method

[0159] It should be understood that the test methods disclosed in the test methods section of this application should be used to determine the corresponding parameter values of the subject matter claimed by the applicant as claimed and described herein.

[0160] Determination of polymer molecular weight and related parameters

[0161] The method described below for gel permeation chromatography with multi-angle light scattering and refractive index detection (GPC-MALS / RI) is used to find the molecular weight distribution measurements and related values of the polymers described herein.

[0162] Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) with multi-angle light scattering (MALS) and refractive index (RI) detection (GPC-MALS / RI) allows the measurement of the absolute molecular weight of polymers without the need for column calibration methods or standards. The GPC system allows the separation of molecules according to their molecular size. MALS and RI allow the obtaining of information on the number-average (Mn) and weight-average (Mw) molecular weights.

[0163] The Mw distribution of water-soluble polymers such as chitosan is typically measured by using a liquid chromatography system (e.g., an Agilent 1260 Infinity pump system with OpenLab Chemstation software, Agilent Technology, Santa Clara, CA, USA) and a column set operating at 40 °C (e.g., 2 Tosoh TSKgel G6000WP 7.8 x 300 mm 13 um pore size, guard column A0022 6 mm x 40 mm PW xl-cp, King of Prussia, PA). The mobile phase is an aqueous solution of 0.1 M sodium nitrate containing 0.02% sodium azide and 0.2% acetic acid. The mobile phase solvent is pumped isocratically at a flow rate of 1 mL / min. Using Wyatt software v8.0-controlled multi-angle light scattering (18-Angle MALS) detector and differential refractive index (RI) detector (Wyatt Technology, Santa Barbara, California, USA).

[0164] Typically, samples are prepared by dissolving the chitosan material at about 1 mg / ml in the mobile phase and hydrating the solution by mixing overnight at room temperature. Before GPC analysis, the sample is filtered through a 0.8 μm Versapor membrane filter (PALL, Life Sciences, NY, USA) into an LC autosampler vial using a 3 ml syringe.

[0165] The number-average molecular weight (Mn), weight-average molecular weight (Mw), z-average molecular weight (Mz), molecular weight at the peak maximum (Mp), and polydispersity (Mw / Mn) are determined using the dn / dc value (differential change in refractive index with concentration, 0.15) by the Astra detector software.

[0166] Illustrative examples of these points on a hypothetical graph of polymer molecular weight distribution are shown in Figure 1 where: Mn is represented by structural number 1; Mp is represented by structural number 2; Mw is represented by structural number 3; and Mz is represented by structural number 4.

[0167] Viscosity

[0168] The viscosity of the liquid finished product is measured using an AR 550 rheometer / viscometer from TA Instruments (New Castle, DE, USA), with parallel steel plates having a diameter of 40 mm and a gap size of 500 μm. 20 s -1The high-shear viscosity at and 0.05 s -1 The low-shear viscosity at is obtained from a logarithmic shear rate sweep from 0.01 s -1 to 25 s -1 over a 3-minute period at 21 °C.

[0169] Test method for determining logP

[0170] Calculate the logarithm (logP) of the octanol / water partition coefficient for each material tested (e.g., each PRM in the flavor mixture). Calculate the logP of the individual material (e.g., PRM) using the Consensus logP Computational Model version 14.02 (Linux) purchased from Advanced Chemistry Development Inc. (ACD / Labs) (Toronto, Canada) to provide a dimensionless logP value. The Consensus logP Computational Model from ACD / Labs is part of the ACD / Labs model suite.

[0171] Volume-weighted particle size and size distribution

[0172] Determine the volume-weighted particle size distribution by single particle optical sensing (SPOS) (also known as optical particle counting (OPC)) using an AccuSizer 780AD instrument and the accompanying software CW788 version 1.82 (Particle Sizing Systems, Santa Barbara, California, U.S.A.) or equivalent. The instrument is configured with the following conditions and selections: flow rate = 1 ml / sec; lower size threshold = 0.50 μm; sensor model = LE400-05 or equivalent; auto dilution = on; collection time = 60 seconds; number of channels = 512; container fluid volume = 50 ml; maximum coincidence = 9200. Start the measurement by flushing the sensor with water to a cold state until the background count is less than 100. Introduce the sample in suspension of the delivery capsule and adjust the density of the capsule with DI water by auto dilution as needed to obtain a capsule count of at least 9200 / ml. Analyze the suspension over a 60-second period. Plot and record the resulting volume-weighted PSD data and determine the values of the volume-weighted particle sizes required (e.g., median / 50th percentile, 5th percentile, and / or 90th percentile).

[0173] Procedure for determining % degradation

[0174] To determine % degradation, the procedure described in the "OECD Guideline for Testing of Chemicals" 301B CO2 Evolution (Modified Sturm Test), adopted on July 17, 1992, was used. For ease of reference, this test method is referred to herein as Test Method OECD 301B.

[0175] Fabric treatment method

[0176] A Miele washing machine was used to process the fabrics. For each treatment, the washing machine was loaded with 3 kg of fabrics, which included 1100 g of knitted cotton fabric and 1100 g of polyester-cotton fabric (50 / 50). Additionally, 18 thick terry cloth cotton tracers were added, with a total weight of approximately 780 g.

[0177] Before the test treatment, the load was pre-treated twice, each time using a 95 °C short cotton cycle with 79 g of unperfumed IEC A basic detergent (purchased from WFK Testgewebe GmbH), followed by two additional 95 °C washes without detergent.

[0178] For the test treatment, the load was washed using a 40 °C short cotton cycle, a spin speed of 1200 rpm, and 79 g of IEC A basic detergent, which was added to the appropriate dispenser at the start of the wash cycle. A 35 g dose of the test fabric treatment composition (i.e., LFE according to the example) was added to the appropriate dispenser. At the end of the treatment cycle, the thick terry cloth tracers were removed from the washing machine and air-dried overnight.

[0179] The next day, the dried thick terry cloth tracers were analyzed by the rapid headspace GC / MS (gas chromatography - mass spectrometry) method, as described below. All treatments washed and analyzed on the same day for comparison purposes were reported as "one - wash tests".

[0180] Method for determining headspace concentration above treated dry fabric

[0181] The cotton tracers were analyzed by the rapid headspace GC / MS (gas chromatography - mass spectrometry) method. A 4X4 cm aliquot of the thick terry cloth cotton tracer was transferred to a 25 mL headspace vial. The fabric sample was equilibrated at 65 °C for 10 minutes. The headspace above the fabric was sampled for 5 minutes via the SPME (50 / 30μm DVB / Carboxen / PDMS) method. Subsequently, the SPME fiber was thermally desorbed immediately into the GC. The analytes were analyzed by rapid GC / MS in full - scan mode. The total HS response and the perfume headspace composition above the test legs were calculated using ion extraction of specific masses with PRM.

[0182] Examples

[0183] The embodiments provided below are essentially intended to be illustrative and not restrictive.

[0184] Example 1. Exemplary delivery particle synthesis

[0185] In the following embodiments, the abbreviations correspond to the materials listed in Table 1.

[0186] Table 1. Materials

[0187] Trade name Company / City Material ChitoClear Primex EHF, Siglufjordur, Iceland Chitosan Takenate D-110N Mitsui Chemicals America, Inc., Rye Brook, NY Polyisocyanate prepolymer

[0188] A. Particle population 1

[0189] The aqueous phase was prepared by dispersing 85.34 g of chitosan into 2048.01 g of water while mixing in a jacketed reactor. The pH of the aqueous phase was then adjusted to 5.4 using 90% formic acid with stirring. The temperature of the aqueous phase was then raised to 65°C within 30 minutes, then to 85°C within 30 minutes, then to 95°C within 30 minutes, and then held at 95°C for 2 hours to acid-treat the chitosan. The temperature of the aqueous phase was then lowered to 25°C within 90 minutes after the hydrolysis step. The oil phase was prepared by mixing 662.9 g of perfume oil, 165.72 g of isopropyl myristate, and 18.15 g of Takenate D-110N at room temperature. The oil phase was added to the aqueous phase under high-shear grinding to obtain an emulsion. The emulsion was heated to 65°C within 45 minutes. The emulsion was then heated to 85°C and held at that temperature for 6 hours while mixing.

[0190] B. Particle population 2

[0191] The aqueous phase was prepared by dispersing 92.62 g of chitosan into 1965.7 g of water while mixing in a jacketed reactor. The pH of the aqueous phase was then adjusted to 5.4 using 90% formic acid with stirring. The temperature of the aqueous phase was then raised to 65°C within 30 minutes, then to 85°C within 30 minutes, then to 95°C within 30 minutes, and then held at 95°C for 2 hours to acid-treat the chitosan. The temperature of the aqueous phase was then lowered to 25°C within 90 minutes after the hydrolysis step. The oil phase was prepared by mixing 719.75 g of perfume oil, 179.95 g of isopropyl myristate, and 19.68 g of Takenate D-110N at room temperature. The oil phase was added to the aqueous phase under high-shear grinding to obtain an emulsion. The emulsion was heated to 65°C within 45 minutes. The emulsion was then heated to 85°C and held at that temperature for 6 hours while mixing.

[0192] C. Particle population 3

[0193] A chitosan stock solution was prepared by dispersing 155.11 g of chitosan into 3291.95 g of water while mixing in a jacketed reactor. The pH of the chitosan dispersion was then adjusted to 5.4 using 90% formic acid with stirring. The temperature of the chitosan solution was then raised to 65 °C within 30 minutes, then to 85 °C within 30 minutes, then to 95 °C within 30 minutes, and then held at 95 °C for 2 hours to hydrolyze the chitosan. The temperature was then lowered to 25 °C within 90 minutes after the hydrolysis step.

[0194] An aqueous phase was prepared by adding 544.33 g of the above chitosan stock solution to a jacketed reactor. An oil phase was prepared by mixing 146.63 g of a fragrance and 36.66 g of isopropyl myristate and 5.55 g of Takenate D-110N at room temperature. The oil phase was added to the aqueous phase under high-shear grinding to obtain an emulsion with a desired particle size. The emulsion was heated to 65 °C within 45 minutes. The emulsion was then heated to 85 °C and held at that temperature for 6 hours while mixing.

[0195] Example 2. Effect of chitosan molecular weight on particle freshness performance

[0196] To compare the freshness performance of delivery particles made from chitosan materials of different molecular weights, samples of liquid fabric enhancer ("LFE") were prepared with different delivery particles. Three trials were run; for each trial, different fragrance / aromatic materials were encapsulated in the delivery particles.

[0197] For each trial, the core of the delivery particles contained on average about 65% - 80% fragrance and about 20% - 35% partitioning modifier (i.e., isopropyl myristate).

[0198] Test LFE compositions having the general formula provided in Table 2 were prepared. Chitosan-based delivery particles were present in the test LFE compositions at a content providing about 0.2% of the encapsulated fragrance by weight of the LFE composition. The pH of the test LFE compositions was adjusted to about 3.

[0199] Table 2. LFE general formula

[0200]

[0201] 1 N,N - bis(tallowoyloxyethyl)-N,N - dimethylammonium chloride, from Evonik

[0202] 2 Flosoft FS222, from SNF

[0203] For the experimental trials (see Trials 1, 2, and 3 below), delivery particles were prepared using different types of chitosan. Details of the chitosan samples are provided in Table 3 below. The molecular weight of the "raw" chitosan material is provided before any acid treatment.

[0204] Table 3. Chitosan samples

[0205]

[0206] For each trial, the fabric was treated with the LFE composition according to the fabric treatment method provided in the Test Methods section above. After treatment, the fragrance headspace data of the treated dry fabric was evaluated as provided in the Test Methods section above (via the "Method for Determining the Headspace Concentration above the Treated Dry Fabric").

[0207] The results of the three trials are reported in Tables 4, 5, and 6 below. For comparison purposes, the headspace data was normalized ("indexed"); within the same wash test, the data was reported relative to the response of the particles prepared with chitosan 1 according to the following equation.

[0208]

[0209] Generally speaking, compared to lower headspace values, larger headspace values correspond to better freshness performance.

[0210] A. Test 1

[0211] In Trial 1, the first fragrance was encapsulated in chitosan-based delivery particles with a target volume-weighted median particle size of 28 microns; in addition to the fragrance, the core also contained approximately 20 wt% isopropyl myristate as a partitioning modifier. Before encapsulation, the raw chitosan was acid-treated with formic acid at 95 °C for 120 minutes.

[0212] The headspace analysis results of the treated fabric after treatment with the test LFE composition are provided in Table 4 below.

[0213] Table 4 .

[0214]

[0215] As shown in Table 4, the delivery particles made of chitosan 1 and / or chitosan 2 provide a greater headspace than the comparative delivery particles made of chitosan 3. This indicates that delivery particles made of chitosan having a relatively large weight average molecular weight (e.g., Mw of about 100 kDa - 300 kDa, preferably about 100 kDa - 200 kDa) may provide improved freshness performance in consumer products such as fabric care products compared to delivery particles made of relatively low molecular weight.

[0216] B. Test 2

[0217] In Test 2, a second fragrance was encapsulated in chitosan-based delivery particles having a target volume-weighted median particle size of 28 microns; in addition to the fragrance, the core further contained about 35 wt% of isopropyl myristate as a partitioning modifier. Before encapsulation, the raw chitosan was acid-treated with hydrochloric acid at 95 °C for 120 minutes. Additionally, the encapsulation steps for the particle populations of Groups 1 and 2 in Table 5 were substantially the same as those for particle populations 1 and 2 in Example 1 above.

[0218] The headspace analysis results of the treated fabric after treatment with the test LFE composition are provided in Table 5 below.

[0219] Table 5 .

[0220]

[0221]

[0222] As shown in Table 5, the delivery particles made of chitosan 1 provide a greater headspace than the delivery particles made of chitosan 2 having a relatively lower molecular weight than chitosan 1.

[0223] C. Test 3

[0224] In Test 3, a first fragrance was encapsulated in chitosan-based delivery particles having a target volume-weighted median particle size of 14 microns; in addition to the fragrance, the core further contained about 20 wt% of isopropyl myristate as a partitioning modifier. Before encapsulation, the raw chitosan was acid-treated with hydrochloric acid at 85 °C for 120 minutes.

[0225] The headspace analysis results of the treated fabric after treatment with the test LFE composition are provided in Table 6 below.

[0226] Table 6 .

[0227]

[0228] As shown in Table 6, the delivery particles made of chitosan 1 provide a larger headspace than the delivery particles made of chitosan 2, which has a relatively lower molecular weight than chitosan 1.

[0229] The dimensions and values disclosed herein should not be understood as being strictly limited to the exact values recited. Instead, each such dimension is intended to mean the recited value and a range functionally equivalent around that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm".

[0230] Unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited, each document cited herein, including any cross-referenced or related patent or patent application and any patent application or patent to which this application claims priority or benefits therefrom, is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone or in any combination with any one or more other references anticipates, suggests, or discloses any such invention. Further, when any meaning or definition of a term in this invention conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to the term in this invention shall govern.

[0231] Although specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that all such changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the invention be covered by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A treatment composition, the treatment composition comprising a treatment aid and a population of delivery particles, wherein the delivery particles comprise a core and a shell surrounding the core, wherein the core comprises a beneficial agent, wherein the shell comprises a polymeric material that is a reaction product of chitosan and a crosslinking agent, wherein the chitosan is characterized by a weight average molecular weight of from about 100 kDa to about 600 kDa.

2. The treatment composition according to claim 1, wherein the chitosan is characterized by a weight average molecular weight of from about 100 kDa to about 500 kDa, preferably from about 100 kDa to about 400 kDa, more preferably from about 100 kDa to about 300 kDa, and even more preferably from about 100 kDa to about 200 kDa.

3. The treatment composition according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the chitosan is characterized by at least one of the following, preferably at least two, and more preferably all three: (a) a polydispersity index (Mw / Mn) of from about 1.2 to about 4, preferably from about 1.4 to about 3.8, and more preferably from about 2.2 to about 2.6; and / or (b) a value defined by (Mz - Mp) of from about 60 kDa to about 3500 kDa; and / or (c) a degree of deacetylation of at least 50%, preferably from about 50% to about 99%, more preferably from about 75% to about 90%, and even more preferably from about 80% to about 85%.

4. The treatment composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the chitosan is acid-treated chitosan, preferably wherein the acid-treated chitosan is treated with an acid at a temperature of from about 25°C to about 99°C, preferably from about 75°C to about 95°C, at a pH of 6.5 or lower for at least one hour, preferably from about one hour to about three hours, or for a period of time required to obtain a chitosan solution viscosity of no more than about 1500 cps or even no more than 500 cps, wherein the acid is selected from strong acids, organic acids, or mixtures thereof.

5. The treatment composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the chitosan is anion-modified chitosan, cation-modified chitosan, or a combination thereof.

6. The treatment composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the crosslinking agent comprises a polyisocyanate, preferably a polyisocyanate selected from the group consisting of polyisocyanurates of tolylene diisocyanate; trimethylolpropane adducts of tolylene diisocyanate; trimethylolpropane adducts of xylylene diisocyanate; 2,2'-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate; 4,4'-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate; 2,4'-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate; [diisocyanato(phenyl)methyl]benzene; tolylene diisocyanate; tetramethylxylylene diisocyanate; naphthalene-1,5-diisocyanate; 1,4-phenylene diisocyanate; 1,3-diisocyanatobenzene; derivatives thereof; and combinations thereof.

7. The treatment composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reaction product is formed in a reaction, and the weight ratio of the chitosan present in the reaction to the crosslinking agent present in the reaction is from about 1:10 to about 1:0.

1.

8. The treatment composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the beneficial agent is an aromatic material.

9. The treatment composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the core further comprises a dispensing modifier, which is optionally present in the core in an amount of about 5% to about 55%, preferably about 10% to about 50%, more preferably about 25% to about 50% by weight of the core, Preferably select a dispensing modifier from the group consisting of: vegetable oil, modified vegetable oil, C4-C 24 monoesters, diesters and triesters of fatty acids, isopropyl myristate, lauroyl benzene, lauryl laurate, methyl behenate, methyl laurate, methyl palmitate, methyl stearate and mixtures thereof, more preferably isopropyl myristate.

10. The treatment composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the delivery particles are characterized by a volume weighted median particle size of from about 1 micron to about 100 microns, preferably from about 10 microns to about 100 microns, preferably from about 15 microns to about 50 microns, more preferably from about 20 microns to about 40 microns, even more preferably from about 25 microns to about 35 microns.

11. The treatment composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein when tested according to test method OECD 301B, the shell of the delivery particles degrades by at least 60% within 60 days.

12. The treatment composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the treatment aids are selected from the group consisting of surfactants, conditioning actives, deposition aids, rheology modifiers or structurants, bleaching systems, stabilizers, builders, chelating agents, dye transfer inhibitors, dispersants, enzymes, enzyme stabilizers, catalytic metal complexes, polymeric dispersants, clays and soil removal / antiredeposition agents, optical brighteners, antifoaming agents, silicones, colorants, aesthetic dyes, clear fragrances, additional fragrance delivery systems, structure elasticizers, carriers, hydrotropes, processing aids, antiagglomerants, coatings, formaldehyde scavengers, pigments, and mixtures thereof.

13. The treatment composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the treatment composition is a fabric care composition, a hard surface cleaner composition, a dish care composition, a hair care composition, a body cleansing composition, or a mixture thereof, preferably a fabric care composition, more preferably a fabric care composition as a laundry detergent composition, a fabric conditioning composition, a laundry additive, a fabric pretreatment composition, a fabric freshener composition, or a mixture thereof.

14. The treatment composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the treatment composition comprises from about 50% to about 99% water by weight of the treatment composition, preferably from about 60% to about 98%, more preferably from about 80% to about 96% water by weight of the treatment composition.

15. A method of treating a surface, the method comprising the steps of: contacting the surface, preferably a fabric, with the treatment composition according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

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