Biodegradable Controlled-Release Particles With Amino Acid Adduct Shells
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing controlled release microcapsules face issues such as non-biodegradability, premature release of active agents in surfactant-containing solutions, poor adhesion to substrates, and difficulty in controlling release profiles, especially in rinse-off applications, along with challenges in transforming aqueous suspensions into dry powders without aggregation.
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 allows for biodegradability greater than 60% and improved adhesion and controlled release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If highly crosslinked membranes are used to prevent premature release, then release control is improved, but environmental biodegradability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the membrane by incorporating amino acid adducts with specific functional groups that enable controlled degradation. The membrane composition is modified to include amino acid adducts that provide both crosslinking for stability and specific degradation sites for environmental breakdown, resolving the contradiction between release control and biodegradability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite membrane system combining conventional crosslinking agents with amino acid adducts. This composite approach allows the membrane to exhibit both the mechanical stability needed for controlled release and the chemical vulnerability to microbial enzymes for environmental biodegradability, simultaneously satisfying both requirements.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If amino acid adducts are incorporated into the membrane, then environmental biodegradability is improved, but membrane stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by incorporating amino acid adducts with specific functional groups at targeted locations within the membrane structure. The adducts are strategically positioned to provide degradation sites without compromising overall membrane integrity, allowing localized biodegradability while maintaining global stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the membrane by controlling the ratio and type of amino acid adducts incorporated. By adjusting these parameters, the membrane achieves optimal balance between stability for controlled release and biodegradability for environmental breakdown, resolving the contradiction between these two properties.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional polymeric shells are used, then manufacturing ease is improved, but environmental biodegradability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite shell system that combines conventional easily-manufactured polymeric materials with amino acid adducts. This composite approach maintains the manufacturing simplicity of conventional polymers while adding the biodegradability feature through the amino acid components, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and environmental biodegradability.
Solution Approach 2:
The amino acid adducts serve as intermediary elements that bridge conventional polymeric materials and environmentally degradable components. These adducts are incorporated during the existing manufacturing process, acting as mediators that enable biodegradability without requiring complete process redesign, thus maintaining ease of manufacture while achieving environmental compatibility.
4Strength
If microcapsules are made stable to withstand processing, then mechanical stability is improved, but release control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the membrane by incorporating amino acid adducts that provide both mechanical strength and controlled degradation pathways. The specific functional groups in the adducts enable the membrane to maintain structural integrity during processing while providing sites for controlled release under specific conditions, resolving the contradiction between mechanical stability and release control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite membrane structure that combines materials providing mechanical strength with amino acid adducts providing controlled degradation. This composite approach allows the membrane to be sufficiently stable to withstand processing while maintaining controlled release capability through the biochemical degradation of amino acid components.
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 particles achieve enhanced environmental biodegradability, improved adhesion to substrates, and controlled release of active agents, even in surfactant-containing solutions, while maintaining stability in dry powder form.
Implementation Method 1
a shell that comprises 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, wherein the at least one adduct is at least one of: (i) at least one amine-acid functional urea linked amino acid isocyanate (AAI) adduct... and (ii) at least one amine-hydroxy-acid functional amino acid epoxide (AAE) adduct
Implementation Method 2
at least one hydrolyzed organofunctional silane
Implementation Method 3
Complex coacervate capsules are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,544,926B1 (Encapsys)
Data Source
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 amine-acid 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.