Biodegradable Controlled-Release Particles With Amino Acid Adduct Shells
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing controlled release microcapsules face issues such as high permeability in surfactant and aqueous solutions, premature release, poor environmental biodegradability, limited encapsulation breadth, instability in consumer products, poor adhesion to substrates, and difficulty in redispersing dry powders, among other limitations.
Innovation Solution
A controlled release particle comprising a core with a hydrophobic active ingredient and a shell made from a reaction product of isocyanate resin, epoxy resin, treated protein isolate, and amino acid adducts, which provides a biodegradable and stable encapsulation system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If highly crosslinked membranes are used to reduce permeability and prevent premature release, then the membrane stability improves, but environmental biodegradability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the membrane by using specific crosslinking agents (epichlorohydrin, glutaraldehyde, or genipin) and controlling the crosslinking degree to achieve optimal balance between stability and biodegradability. The membrane is designed to have sufficient crosslinking for stability while maintaining biodegradable chemical bonds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite membrane structure combining biodegradable polymer materials (such as gelatin, gum arabic, chitosan, or alginate) with controlled crosslinking. This composite approach allows the membrane to exhibit both stability from crosslinking and biodegradability from the natural polymer components.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional polymeric shells are used to encapsulate active ingredients, then encapsulation is achieved, but the shells exhibit high permeability in surfactant and aqueous solutions causing premature release
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the physical and chemical parameters of the polymeric shell through controlled crosslinking, which reduces the permeability of the shell to surfactants and aqueous solutions. This prevents premature release while maintaining the encapsulation function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the porosity of the polymeric shell to achieve appropriate permeability - not too tight to prevent controlled release, but not too loose to cause premature release. The crosslinking density and shell thickness are adjusted to control the pore structure.
3Loss of time
If dry powder form of microcapsules is used for formulation, then transportation and storage are improved, but redispersibility in aqueous formulations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the microcapsule shell with controlled porosity and surface characteristics that facilitate redispersibility. The porous structure allows aqueous formulations to penetrate and redisperse the dry powder effectively, while the crosslinked structure maintains stability during storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes surface parameters of the dry powder including surface area, surface energy, and hydrophilicity to improve redispersibility. The crosslinking degree and shell thickness are adjusted to ensure the powder can be easily redispersed in aqueous formulations.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional microcapsules are used, then encapsulation is provided, but they do not adequately deposit on the surface being treated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies surface parameters of the microcapsules including surface charge, surface energy, and wettability to improve deposition on treated surfaces. The crosslinking and shell composition are optimized to enhance adhesion to substrates while maintaining encapsulation function.
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 solution achieves greater than 60% biodegradability, improved adhesion to substrates, controlled release profile, and effective encapsulation in surfactant and aqueous conditions, while maintaining stability and dispersibility.
Implementation Method 1
The shell material has an environmental biodegradability greater than 50% as measured by the OECD 301D method
Implementation Method 2
minimizes the diffusion of the encapsulated active into the surrounding formulation
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
Disclosed is a controlled release particle including a core including at least one hydrophobic active ingredient, optionally a sugar alcohol, and optionally a plasticizer; and a shell including a reaction product of (a) at least one isocyanate resin and at least one epoxy resin with (b) at least one treated protein isolate, at least one mono epoxy alkoxy silane, at least one hydrolyzed organofunctional silane, at least one gelatinized polysaccharide, at least one amino polysaccharide and at least one adduct. The at least one adduct is at least one amineacid functional urea linked amino acid isocyanate adduct and/or at least one amine-hydroxy-acid functional amino acid epoxide adduct. Further disclosed are a controlled release composition including a plurality of the particles, and a method of making the controlled release particle.