ENCAPSULATION USING WAX-TYPE SUBSTANCES
Method for producing stable capsules which comprises the steps of providing a first component comprising a wax-like substance and a second component comprising a substance to be encapsulated, dissolved or dispersed in a liquid medium, homogeneously mixing the first and second components, dispersing the mixture in an aqueous solution using at least one dispersion auxiliary at a temperature above the melting point of the wax-like substance to prepare a microemusion, and cooling and diluting the microemulsion.
1 . Method for producing stable capsules, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a first component, comprising a solid wax-like substance,
(b) providing a second component, comprising a substance to be encapsulated, dissolved or dispersed in a liquid medium,
(c) homogeneously mixing the first and second components,
(d) dispersing the mixture from step (c) in an aqueous solution at a temperature above the melting temperature of the wax-like substance using at least one dispersion auxiliary, to form an emulsion,
(e) cooling and diluting the emulsion from step (d).
2 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein the wax-like substance is selected from the group consisting of paraffin, fatty alcohol, fatty acid, fatty acid esters, fatty acid ethers, polyethylene wax, montan wax, polyether wax, beeswax, cetyl montanic acid esters and combinations thereof.
3 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein said substance to be encapsulated is an active ingredient or a detection agent.
4 . (canceled)
5 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein said dispersion auxiliary is a polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene block copolymer.
6 . Method according to claim 1 , comprising the further step of
(f) coating of the capsules with a polymer shell.
7 . Method according to claim 7 wherein the polymer shell is built up by polymerization in the aqueous dispersion of the capsules at the phase interfaces aqueous solution/capsules.
8 . Capsules comprising at least one wax-like substance and one substance to be encapsulated and also one or more hydrophobic substances which are liquid under standard conditions and which are homogeneously mixed with the wax-like substance, wherein the capsules have a maximum diameter of less than 1 μm, and the substance to be encapsulated is an active ingredient or a detection agent.
9 . Capsules according to claim 8 , further comprising a polymer shell.
10 . Capsules according to claim 9 , wherein the polymer shell consists of polyalkyl cyanoacrylate.
11 . Aqueous dispersion, comprising capsules of claim 8 and at least one dispersion auxiliary.
12 . Method for increasing the mechanical and/or chemical stability of capsules and/or encapsulated substances which comprises including a wax-like substance in the capsules or encapsulated substances.
13 . Capsules of claim 8 wherein the substance to be encapsulated comprises one or more active ingredients or one or more detection agents.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said emulsion is a microemulsion.