Method of Preparing Carrier Liquids
The invention provides a method for the preparation of a carrier liquid which comprises the steps of: (I) preparing an emulsion comprising: a) an aqueous phase, b) A second liquid phase which is volatile and which is immiscible with aqueous phase (a), c) A carrier material which is soluble in the continuous phase of the emulsion and which is liquid at ambient temperature, and d) A dopant which is soluble in the disperse phase of the emulsion, (II) cooling the emulsion produced in step (I) to a temperature at which at least both the continuous phase and the carrier material become solid, (III) removing water and the volatile second phase from the cooled emulsion in vapor form, and, (IV) returning the product of step (III) to ambient temperature to obtain a liquid product with the dopant dispersed therein.
1 . A method for the preparation of a carrier liquid which comprises the steps of:
(I) preparing an emulsion comprising:
a) An aqueous phase,
b) A second liquid phase which is volatile and which is immiscible with aqueous phase (a),
c) A carrier material which is soluble in the continuous phase of the emulsion and which is liquid at ambient temperature, and
d) A dopant which is soluble in the disperse phase of the emulsion,
(II) cooling the emulsion produced in step (I) to a temperature at which at least both the continuous phase and the carrier material become solid,
(III) removing water and the volatile second phase from the cooled emulsion in vapour form, and,
(IV) returning the product of step (III) to ambient temperature to obtain a liquid product with the dopant dispersed therein.
2 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the carrier material is soluble in the second liquid phase and said second liquid phase forms the continuous phase of the emulsion formed in step (I).
3 . A method according to claim 2 wherein the second liquid phase comprises one or more materials selected from selected from: alkanes, cyclic hydrocarbons, halogenated alkanes, esters, ketones, ethers and, silicones.
4 . A method according to claim 3 wherein the carrier material comprises one or more materials selected from natural, mineral or synthetic oils less volatile than the second liquid phase.
5 . A method according to claim 3 wherein the second liquid phase comprises a volatile cyclic silicone.
6 . A method according to claim 4 wherein the carrier material comprises an alkoxy dimethicone.
7 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the dopant is hydrophilic and is selected from on or more of: water soluble vitamins; water soluble fluorescers; water soluble antiperspirant actives; transition metal complexes having activity as bleaching catalysts; and, water soluble polymers and water soluble metal chelating agents.
8 . A method according to claim 7 wherein the dopant is selected from diethylene-triamine-penta-acetic acid, activated aluminium chlorohydrate and mixtures thereof.
9 . A method according to claim 1 wherein step (II) comprises introducing the emulsion into a fluid freezing medium.
10 . A method according to claim 1 wherein step (III) comprises exposure to vacuum.