Polyelectrolyte microcapsules and methods of making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016332131-A1
Application number	US-201615097874-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 13, 2016
Priority date	Apr 13, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Polyelectrolyte microcapsules, and methods for making and using the polyelectrolyte microcapsules, are described. A method of making polyelectrolyte microcapsules includes forming an “interfacial complexation in emulsion” (ICE), wherein a polyelectrolyte “shell” is formed by complexing two different polyelectrolytes together at an interface between two immiscible fluids. Both hydrophilic and hydrophobic materials can be incorporated into the cores and shells of the polyelectrolyte microcapsules.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of making polyelectrolyte microcapsules comprising:
forming an emulsion comprising an inner water phase and an oil phase, wherein the inner water phase comprises a first polyelectrolyte and the oil phase comprises a second polyelectrolyte, wherein the first and second polyelectrolytes form a polyelectrolyte complex at the interface between the water phase and oil phase, and wherein polyelectrolyte microcapsules are formed following a spontaneous dewetting process whereby the polyelectrolyte microcapsules separate from the oil phase.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising dissolving the first polyelectrolyte in the inner water phase and dissolving the second polyelectrolyte in the oil phase prior to forming the emulsion.

3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising adding one or more additives to the inner water phase and adding one or more additives to the oil phase prior to forming the emulsion, wherein the additives are selected from the group consisting of stabilizing agents, surfactants, pH adjusters and combinations thereof.

4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising adding at least one active ingredient to the inner water phase prior to forming the emulsion.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least one active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of active pharmaceutical ingredients, herbicides, pesticides, plant nutrients, antioxidants, anti-bacterial agents, fragrances, foodstuffs, flavorants, nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and combinations thereof.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising adding one or more hydrophobic materials to the oil phase prior to forming the emulsion.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more hydrophobic materials comprise one or more nanoparticles.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the emulsion is a water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) double emulsion comprising an outer water phase.

9 . The method of claim 8 comprising forming the water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) double emulsion with a microfluidics device.

10 . Polyelectrolyte microcapsules made in accordance with the method of claim 1 .

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forming a complex between a surfactant and the second polyelectrolyte to form a surfactant-modified polyelectrolyte prior to forming the emulsion; and dissolving the surfactant-modified polyelectrolyte in the oil phase prior to forming the emulsion.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
dissolving the second polyelectrolyte in an aqueous phase prior to forming the emulsion; and forming micro-emulsions of the aqueous phase comprising the dissolved second polyelectrolyte within the oil phase prior to forming the emulsion.

13 . A polyelectrolyte microcapsule comprising a core completely surrounded by a shell, wherein the shell comprises a complex of at least two polyelectrolytes, and wherein the core comprises at least one active ingredient suspended in an aqueous solution.

14 . The polyelectrolyte microcapsule of claim 11 , wherein the shell further comprises at least one hydrophobic active ingredient.

15 . The polyelectrolyte microcapsule of claim 11 , wherein the shell further comprises at least one hydrophobic nanoparticle.

16 . The polyelectrolyte microcapsule of claim 11 , wherein the at least one active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of active pharmaceutical ingredients, herbicides, pesticides, plant nutrients, antioxidants, anti-bacterial agents, fragrances, foodstuffs, flavorants, nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and combinations thereof.

17 . The polyelectrolyte microcapsule of claim 11 , wherein the complex of polyelectrolytes changes its degree of ionization and/or its conformation in response to changes in a surrounding environment, whereby said changes in degree of ionization and/or conformation cause the shell to burst and release the at least one active ingredient.

18 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutical carrier and a plurality of polyelectrolyte microcapsules in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the polyelectrolyte microcapsules comprise one or more active pharmaceutical ingredients.

19 . An agricultural composition comprising an agricultural carrier and a plurality of polyelectrolyte microcapsules in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the polyelectrolyte microcapsules comprise one or more herbicides, pesticides, and/or plant nutrients.

20 . A cosmetic composition comprising a cosmetic carrier and a plurality of polyelectrolyte microcapsules in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the polyelectrolyte microcapsules comprise one or more antioxidants, anti-bacterial agents, and/or fragrances.

21 . A food product comprising one or more food ingredients and a plurality of polyelectrolyte microcapsules in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the polyelectrolyte microcapsules comprise one or more foodstuffs, flavorants, nutrients, vitamins, and/or minerals.

Assignees

• Univ Pennsylvania

Inventors

• Lee Daeyeon
• Doh Junsang
• Kim Miju
• Haase Martin F
• Duan Gang

Classifications

• A61K8/11

  Encapsulated compositions · CPC title

• A61K2800/412

  Microsized, i.e. having sizes between 0.1 and 100 microns · CPC title

• A61K8/8147

  Homopolymers or copolymers of acids; Metal or ammonium salts thereof, e.g. crotonic acid, (meth)acrylic acid; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers · CPC title

• A61K2800/56

  Compounds, absorbed onto or entrapped into a solid carrier, e.g. encapsulated perfumes, inclusion compounds, sustained release forms · CPC title

• A61K9/5026

  obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds, e.g. polyvinyl pyrrolidone, poly(meth)acrylates · CPC title