Nanocapsule Metal Oxide Shell Formation via High-Pressure Homogenization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microcapsule technologies face challenges in achieving narrow size distributions, physical stability, and ease of production for applications like parenteral administration, textiles, and cosmetics, particularly in the absence of surfactants, where agglomeration and stability during storage are concerns.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the preparation of oil-in-water emulsions under high shear forces, followed by high-pressure homogenization, and hydrolysis/polycondensation of sol-gel precursors to form nanocapsules with a metal oxide shell, achieving a narrow particle size distribution and stability without surfactants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If microcapsules are prepared by conventional sol-gel processes, then chemical contact between active ingredient and environment is minimized, but particle size distribution is broad and agglomeration occurs during storage
Solution Approach 1:
The process segments the formation of nanocapsules into distinct stages: emulsion formation, nanodroplet generation through homogenization, and shell formation through sol-gel reaction. This segmentation allows precise control over particle size at the nanodroplet stage before shell formation, preventing the broad size distribution and agglomeration seen in conventional processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by forming a stable emulsion and generating nanodroplets with precise size control before initiating the sol-gel shell formation. This preliminary structuring of the core material into uniformly sized nanodroplets ensures that the final nanocapsules maintain narrow size distribution and physical stability during storage.
2Measurement precision
If nanocapsules are prepared for parenteral administration, then delivery precision is improved, but production complexity increases and physical stability during storage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sol-gel precursor materials self-assemble and react to form uniform shells around the nanodroplets through hydrolysis and condensation reactions. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for complex external control systems during shell formation, simplifying the production process while maintaining precise nanoscale size control required for parenteral administration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the sol-gel reaction parameters (pH, temperature, precursor concentration) to optimize shell formation. By carefully adjusting these parameters, the process achieves precise nanoscale size control for parenteral applications while keeping the production process manageable through well-understood chemical reactions.
3Reliability
If surfactants are used to prevent agglomeration, then physical stability is improved, but chemical contact between active ingredient and environment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates surfactants from the system by relying on the inherent stability of the sol-gel formed metal oxide shells. These inorganic shells provide steric and electrostatic stabilization without requiring organic surfactants, thereby preventing agglomeration while minimizing chemical contact between the active ingredient and the external environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material strategy by forming shells from metal oxide precursors that create inherently stable nanocapsules. The metal oxide shell structure provides both mechanical integrity and surface properties that prevent agglomeration without needing surfactant additives, thus maintaining physical stability while reducing harmful chemical interactions.
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 process results in physically stable nanocapsules with a controlled size distribution, preventing agglomeration and ensuring long-term stability and effective encapsulation and release of active ingredients in various applications.
Implementation Method 1
applying conditions for hydrolyzing and polycondensing the sol-gel precursor to obtain nanocapsules having a metal oxide shell encapsulating the core material
Implementation Method 2
applying conditions for hydrolyzing and polycondensing the sol-gel precursor to obtain nanocapsules having a metal oxide shell encapsulating the core material
Implementation Method 3
subjecting the emulsion obtained in (a) to a high pressure homogenization to obtain a nano-emulsion
Data Source
AI summary
A process for preparing nanocapsules having a core-shell structure, comprising:(a) preparing an oil-in-water emulsion by emulsification of an oily phase that comprises a core material, in an aqueous phase, under high shear forces, wherein one or both of the oily phase, and the aqueous phase comprises a sol-gel precursor; (b) subjecting the emulsion obtained in (a) to a high pressure homogenization to obtain a nano-emulsion; and (c) applying conditions for hydrolyzing and polycondensing the sol-gel precursor to obtain nanocapsules having a metal oxide shell encapsulating the core material, said nanocapsules have a particle size distribution of: d10=10-80 nm, d50=30-200 nm, and d90=70-500 nm, in diameter. The invention also relate to nanocapsules having the above particle size distribution and to composition comprising the nanocapsules.