Flowable core-shell microencapsule composition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing dry fragranced powders, such as spray drying, face challenges with microcapsules that can lead to agglomeration and clumping due to high water content, and require costly absorbent materials to manage explosion risks and improve flowability.
Innovation Solution
A method involving mechanical separation to remove a substantial portion of solvent from microcapsule suspensions, followed by charging the resulting wet cake with a dry flow aid to produce a flowable core-shell microcapsule composition with reduced water content and improved stability and flowability, without using absorbent materials or spray drying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If microcapsules are suspended in an aqueous solution for blending with consumer products, then the microcapsules can be easily incorporated into the product, but this results in agglomeration and clumping and partial dissolving of water-soluble components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes water from the microcapsule suspension to produce a free-flowing powder composition. This extraction of the aqueous phase eliminates the cause of agglomeration and dissolving problems while preserving the microcapsules' ability to be incorporated into consumer products. The mechanical separation process extracts water without requiring costly absorbent materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the microcapsule formulation from an aqueous suspension to a free-flowing powder by removing water. This parameter change fundamentally alters the handling characteristics and stability of the composition, transforming it from a prone-to-agglomerate suspension into a stable, free-flowing powder that can be easily blended.
2Ease of operation
If water absorbing materials are added to bind water in microcapsule slurry, then flowability is improved, but the total water content is not decreased and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding absorbent materials to bind water, the patent directly removes water from the microcapsule slurry through mechanical separation processes. This extraction approach achieves the desired reduction in water content without introducing additional substances, thereby improving flowability while avoiding increased production costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses mechanical separation equipment (centrifugal separator, filter press, or dryer) as an intermediary to remove water from the microcapsule slurry. These intermediaries enable the separation and removal of water without requiring chemical absorbents, achieving both flowability improvement and water content reduction.
3Ease of operation
If spray drying is used to produce dry microcapsule powder, then water content is reduced and flowability is improved, but the process is costly and requires absorbent materials to manage explosion risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes water from microcapsule slurry using mechanical separation processes (centrifugal separation, filter press, or drying) instead of spray drying. This extraction approach achieves the desired dry powder product with improved flowability while avoiding the high costs and safety requirements associated with spray drying technology.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs simpler, more cost-effective mechanical separation equipment rather than expensive spray drying systems. The use of centrifugal separators, filter presses, or conventional dryers represents a more economical approach to producing free-flowing microcapsule powder without the need for costly explosion management infrastructure.
4Stability of the object's composition
If a substantial portion of solvent is removed by mechanical separation to produce a wet cake, then water content is decreased and stability is improved, but additional processing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes a substantial portion of water from microcapsule slurry using mechanical separation to produce a free-flowing powder with improved stability. While this requires additional processing steps compared to using aqueous suspensions, the resulting product stability and elimination of agglomeration problems justify the enhanced process complexity.
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
This method results in a stable, agglomerate-free, and cost-effective dry microcapsule composition with enhanced flowability and increased active material load, reducing the risk of explosion and simplifying the production process.
Implementation Method 1
removing, from a suspension composed of a solvent and active material-encapsulated core-shell microcapsules, a substantial portion of the solvent by mechanical separation (e.g., centrifugation, filtration, evaporation, or a combination thereof)
Implementation Method 2
removing, from a suspension composed of a solvent and active material-encapsulated core-shell microcapsules, a substantial portion of the solvent by mechanical separation (e.g., centrifugation, filtration, evaporation, or a combination thereof)
Implementation Method 3
charging the wet cake with a dry flow aid using, e.g., a conical mixer, ribbon blender, tumbler mixer, granulator, or high shear mixer
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing a flowable active material-encapsulated core-shell microcapsule composition by mechanically removing solvent from a microcapsule suspension to produce a wet cake, and subsequently charging the wet cake with a dry flow aid, is provided.