Spherical Polymeric Particles with High Filler Content
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies face challenges in producing spherical polymeric particles with controlled size and shape applicable to various polymers, especially when incorporating high volumes of fillers, as they often require expensive and laborious additives and struggle with dispersibility and biostimulatory effects in cosmetic applications.
Innovation Solution
A process involving melt-blending of a thermoplastic polymer matrix with at least two fillers and an amphiphilic compound to form an emulsion, followed by cooling and solubilization, which allows for the production of spherical particles with up to 50% filler content, ensuring proper dispersion and biostimulatory properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If emulsion polymerization or HIPE principle is used to produce spherical particles, then spherical shape and controlled size can be achieved, but the process requires expensive and laborious additives and is limited to specific polymer types
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a surfactant as an intermediary substance to stabilize the emulsion during the melt-blending process. The surfactant reduces interfacial tension between the dispersed polymer droplets and continuous phase, enabling spherical particle formation without requiring expensive hyperbranched additives. This mediator allows the process to work with various thermoplastic polymers while maintaining controlled particle size and spherical morphology.
2Quantity of substance
If high volume fraction of fillers is incorporated into polymeric particles, then cosmetic efficacy is improved, but filler dispersibility within the polymer matrix deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates fillers into the polymer matrix during the melt-blending process before the polymer solidifies. This preliminary incorporation ensures uniform distribution of fillers throughout the matrix at high concentrations (up to 50% by weight). The emulsion process allows fillers to be evenly dispersed in the molten state, preventing aggregation and maintaining stable composition in the final spherical particles.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional processes are used to produce spherical particles, then particle formation is achieved, but adaptability to different polymer types is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent develops a universal melt-blending emulsion process that can produce spherical particles from various thermoplastic polymers including polyamides, polyesters, and polyolefins. The process uses a continuous phase compound compatible with multiple polymer types and a surfactant that stabilizes emulsions across different polymer chemistries. This multi-functional approach maintains spherical shape control while being adaptable to different polymer types, eliminating the need for polymer-specific process modifications.
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 process enables the creation of spherical polymeric particles with controlled size and shape, maintaining filler dispersion within the polymer matrix, and provides biostimulatory effects suitable for cosmetic applications, such as reducing skin aging signs.
Implementation Method 1
melt-blending of a thermoplastic polymer matrix with at least two fillers and an amphiphilic compound to form an emulsion
Implementation Method 2
amphiphilic compound having a first part of its structure that can react chemically or physically with the thermoplastic polymer matrix and a second part of its structure that can react chemically or physically with the continuous phase compound
Implementation Method 3
putting the cooled blend into a solvent wherein the continuous phase and the amphiphilic agent are soluble to provide the solubilization of continuous phase
Data Source
AI summary
A process for preparing spherical polymeric particles of polymers containing at least two fillers, dispersed in the polymer matrix wherein up to 50% of the weight of the particles is composed by fillers. The process comprises a melt-blending of a polymeric matrix containing the at least two fillers with a continuous phase that is not miscible with the polymeric matrix and an agent to form an emulsion. This emulsion is then extruded, cooled and a solvent of the continuous phase is added to recover the spherical particles. The fillers can provide different properties to the spherical particles which can be used, for example, for cosmetic applications, specifically for preventing and/or reducing the signs of skin ageing.