Nanoparticle-stabilized microcapsules, dispersions comprising nanoparticle-stabilized microcapsules, and method for the treatment of bacterial biofilms

1. A stabilized microcapsule comprising,

a single liquid hydrophobic core comprising an essential oil and an aromatic monoaldehyde; and

a single shell encapsulating the core, the shell consisting of a plurality of amino-functionalized inorganic nanoparticles having

one or more amino functional groups directly covalently bound to the surface of the inorganic nanoparticles;

one or more amino functional groups covalently bound to the surface of the inorganic nanoparticles by a linker comprising a C 1-12 alkyl group, a C 6-20 aryl group, or an alkylene oxide group between the amino functional group and the surface;

or combination thereof;

wherein the essential oil is selected from the group consisting of peppermint oil, oregano oil, thymol, menthol, methyl salicylate, eucalyptol, carvacrol, camphor, anethole, carvone, eugenol, isoeugenol, osimen, n-decyl alcohol, citronel, a-salpineol, methyl acetate, citronellyl acetate, methyl eugenol, cineol, ethyl linalaol, safrola vanillin, spearmint oil, lemon oil, orange oil, sage oil, rosemary oil, cinnamon oil, pimento oil, laurel oil, cedar leaf oil, clove oil, cilantro oil, coriander oil, and a combination thereof;

and wherein the aromatic monoaldehyde is cinnamaldehyde.

2. A stabilized microcapsule comprising,

a single liquid hydrophobic core comprising an essential oil and an aromatic monoaldehyde; and

a single shell encapsulating the core, the shell consisting of a plurality of functionalized inorganic nanoparticles having

one or more amino functional groups directly covalently bound to the surface of the inorganic nanoparticles;

one or more amino functional groups covalently bound to the surface of the inorganic nanoparticles by a linker comprising a C 1-12 alkyl group, a C 6-20 aryl group, or an alkylene oxide group between the amino functional group and the surface;

a reaction product formed from reaction of an amino-functionalized inorganic nanoparticle and the aromatic monoaldehyde,

or a combination thereof;

wherein the essential oil is selected from the group consisting of peppermint oil, oregano oil, thymol, menthol, methyl salicylate, eucalyptol, carvacrol, camphor, anethole, carvone, eugenol, isoeugenol, osimen, n-decyl alcohol, citronel, a-salpineol, methyl acetate, citronellyl acetate, methyl eugenol, cineol, ethyl linalaol, safrola vanillin, spearmint oil, lemon oil, orange oil, sage oil, rosemary oil, cinnamon oil, pimento oil, laurel oil, cedar leaf oil, clove oil, cilantro oil, coriander oil, and a combination thereof;

and wherein the aromatic monoaldehyde is cinnamaldehyde.

3. The microcapsule of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic nanoparticles are metal nanoparticles, metal oxide nanoparticles, or a combination thereof, and wherein the nanoparticles have one or more dimensions of less than 1000 nanometers.

4. The microcapsule of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic nanoparticles comprise silica, titanium dioxide, or a combination thereof.

5. The microcapsule of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic nanoparticles have an average diameter of 100 to 250 nanometers.

6. The microcapsule of claim 1 , wherein the essential oil comprises peppermint oil.

7. The microcapsule of claim 1 , comprising 0.01 to 10 volume percent of the aromatic monoaldehyde, based on the total volume of the essential oil and the aromatic monoaldehyde.

8. The microcapsule of claim 1 , comprising 1 to 10 weight percent of the inorganic nanoparticles, based on the total weight of the microcapsule.

9. The microcapsule of claim 1 , wherein the microcapsule has an average diameter of 1 to 20 micrometers.

10. The microcapsule of claim 1 , wherein

the essential oil comprises peppermint oil;

the aromatic monoaldehyde is cinnamaldehyde;

the microcapsule comprises 1 to 5 volume percent cinnamaldehyde, based on the total volume of the essential oil and the aromatic monoaldehyde;

the inorganic nanoparticles are silica nanoparticles having an average diameter of 140 to 160 nanometers; and the microcapsule has an average diameter of 4 to 9 micrometers.

11. The microcapsule of claim 1 , comprising, based on the total weight of the microcapsule,

90 to 99 weight percent of the liquid hydrophobic core; and

1 to 10 weight percent of the shell encapsulating the core;

wherein

the liquid hydrophobic core comprises, based on the total weight of the core,

90 to 99 weight percent peppermint oil; and

1 to 10 weight percent cinnamaldehyde.

12. A method of treating a bacterial biofilm the method comprising,

contacting a dispersion comprising a plurality of the stabilized microcapsule according to claim 1 with a bacterial biofilm.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the stabilized microcapsules are dispersed in an aqueous solution.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein

each microcapsule comprises a shell consisting of silica nanoparticles; and

the silica is present in an amount of less than or equal to 3 weight percent, based on the total weight of the dispersion.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the bacterial biofilm comprises Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas bacteria, Staphylococcal bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae bacteria, Streptococcus bacteria, Haemophilus influenzae, Leptospira interrogans, Legionella bacteria, or a combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the contacting is in the presence of a host cell, wherein the dispersion is non-toxic to the host cell.