Azobenzene Polymer Shell Encapsulates for Light-Triggered Perfume Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current encapsulated benefit agents, such as perfumes, face challenges in delivery efficiency due to physical or chemical incompatibilities and leakage issues, particularly in consumer products where mechanical forces are limited, leading to ineffective release mechanisms triggered by inappropriate stimuli.
Innovation Solution
Development of encapsulates with a polymer shell containing azobenzene moieties sensitive to infrared, visible light, or ultraviolet radiation, allowing for controlled release of the core material through tailored leakage and release profiles by manipulating the shell composition and structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If encapsulated benefit agents use pressure-triggered release mechanisms, then release can be achieved, but leakage occurs over time and release is ineffective in applications with limited mechanical forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical pressure-triggered release system with a photochemical trigger system. The shell contains photolabile groups that undergo chemical transformation when exposed to light, causing the shell to fracture and release the benefit agent. This substitution eliminates the need for mechanical pressure, preventing premature leakage while enabling reliable release in applications with limited mechanical forces such as fabric care and personal care products.
2Productivity
If encapsulates are designed to release all benefit agent upon trigger exposure, then complete release is achieved, but desired leakage profiles and sustained release cannot be controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the shell's photolabile group distribution. Different regions of the shell can have varying concentrations of photolabile groups, and the degree of conversion can be controlled to achieve different release rates. This allows the encapsulate to provide both complete release when needed and controlled leakage profiles for sustained delivery, accommodating diverse application requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables periodic action through controlled exposure to light triggers. By regulating the intensity, duration, and wavelength of light exposure, the release of benefit agent can be modulated to occur in periodic pulses or at controlled rates. This provides versatility in release profiles, allowing complete release in some applications and sustained, controlled leakage in others, depending on the specific needs of the application.
3Reliability
If benefit agents are used at high levels in compositions, then effectiveness is improved, but cost increases and physical/chemical incompatibilities arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the nested doll principle by placing the benefit agent inside an encapsulated core, which is then protected by a shell containing photolabile groups. This nested structure isolates the benefit agent from incompatible compositional components, preventing physical and chemical incompatibilities. The encapsulate can be used at lower levels in the composition while maintaining effectiveness, as the trigger mechanism ensures reliable release without requiring high concentrations of the benefit agent.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The encapsulates achieve optimal delivery of benefit agents with controlled release profiles, ensuring effective and sustained release in consumer products, overcoming the limitations of existing encapsulation technologies.
Implementation Method 1
such shell comprising one or more azobenzene moieties... which are sensitive to infrared radiation, visible light, and/or ultraviolet radiation
Data Source
AI summary
The present application relates to encapsulates, compositions, products comprising such encapsulates, and processes for making and using such encapsulates. Such encapsulates comprise a core comprising a perfume and a shell that encapsulates said core, such encapsulates may optionally comprise a parametric balancing agent, such shell comprising one or more azobenzene moieties.