Microcapsules containing active ingredients

1. A process for preparing silica microcapsule particles having a core material encapsulated within a shell comprising the steps of

(a) preparing a mixture of a sol-gel precursor and an active material;

(b) preparing a surfactant solution by dissolving a surfactant in water;

(c) adding the sol-gel precursor and active material mixture obtained in step (a) to the surfactant solution obtained in step (b);

(d) homogenizing the mixture of sol-gel precursor, active material and surfactant solution obtained in step (c);

(e) curing the homogenized mixture to form the microcapsule particles; and

(f) modifying the microcapsule particles with a sphere complexation to form a coated microcapsule particle, wherein the sphere complexation is cocoamidopropylamine oxide.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the active material is a fragrance.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the sol-gel precursor is selected from a metal or semi-metal alkoxide monomer, or metal ester monomer, semi-metal ester monomer or alkoxysilanes monomer corresponding to the general formula:

(R 1 O)(R 2 O)M(X)(X′)

wherein M is equal to Si, Ti, and Zr; wherein X is equal to hydrogen, or —OR 3 , and X′ is equal to hydrogen, or —OR 4 and R1, R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 independently represent a linear or branched alkyl group, preferably a C 1-12 alkyl.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the sol-gel precursor is selected from the group consisting of tetramethyl orthosilicate, tetraethyl orthosilicate and mixtures thereof.

5. The process according to claim 1 further comprising the step of removing the water to obtain a final product in a powder form.

6. A process for preparing silica a microcapsule particle composition comprising the steps of

(a) adding a fragrance oil to an aqueous surfactant solution to form a mixture;

(b) homogenizing the mixture obtained in step (a) to form a fragrance emulsion;

(c) adding a sol-gel precursor dropwise to the fragrance emulsion;

(d) curing the mixture at room temperature to form microcapsule particles,

(e) modifying the microcapsule particles with a sphere complexation to form a coated microcapsule particle composition, wherein the sphere complexation is cocoamidopropylamine oxide.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein the sol-gel precursor is selected from a metal or semi-metal alkoxide monomer, or metal ester monomer, semi-metal ester monomer or alkoxysilanes monomer corresponding to the general formula:

(R 1 O)(R 2 O)M(X)(X′)

wherein M is equal to Si, Ti, and Zr; wherein X is equal to hydrogen, or —OR 3 , and X′ is equal to hydrogen, or —OR 4 and R1, R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 independently represent a linear or branched alkyl group, preferably a C 1-12 alkyl.

8. The process of claim 6 wherein the sol-gel precursor is selected from the group consisting of tetramethyl orthosilicate, tetraethyl orthosilicate and mixtures thereof.

9. The process of claim 6 further comprising the step of removing the water to obtain a final product in a powder form.

10. A process for preparing a silica microcapsule particle composition comprising the steps of

(a) adding a fragrance oil to an aqueous surfactant to form a mixture;

(b) homogenizing the mixture obtained in step (a) to form a fragrance emulsion;

(c) adding water to the fragrance emulsion obtained in step (b) to achieve a diluted fragrance emulsion;

(d) adding a sol-gel precursor to the diluted fragrance emulsion obtained in step (c);

(e) curing the mixture at room temperature until microcapsule particles are formed; and

(f) modifying the microcapsule particles with a sphere complexation to form a coated microcapsule particle composition, wherein the sphere complexation is cocoamidopropylamine oxide.

11. The process of claim 10 wherein the sol-gel precursor is selected from a metal or semi-metal alkoxide monomer, or metal ester monomer, semi-metal ester monomer or alkoxysilanes monomer corresponding to the general formula:

(R 1 O)(R 2 O)M(X)(X′)

wherein M is equal to Si, Ti, and Zr; wherein X is equal to hydrogen, or —OR 3 , and X′ is equal to hydrogen, or —OR 4 and R1, R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 independently represent a linear or branched alkyl group, preferably a C 1-12 alkyl.

12. The process of claim 10 wherein the sol-gel precursor is selected from the group consisting of tetramethyl orthosilicate, tetraethyl orthosilicate and mixtures thereof.

13. The process according to claim 10 further comprising the step of removing the water to obtain a final product in a powder form.

14. A process for preparing a silica microcapsule particle composition comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing a fragrance emulsion by emulsifying a fragrance oil into a surfactant solution;

(b) preparing a sol-gel precursor emulsion by emulsifying a sol-gel precursor and an aqueous surfactant solution;

(c) adding the sol-gel precursor emulsion formed in step (b) to the fragrance emulsion obtained in step (a);

(d) curing the mixture obtained in step (c) at room temperature until microcapsule particles have formed; and

(e) modifying the microcapsule particles with a sphere complexation to form a coated microcapsule particle composition, wherein the sphere complexation is cocoamidopropylamine oxide.

15. The process of claim 14 wherein the sol-gel precursor is selected from a metal or semi-metal alkoxide monomer, or metal ester monomer, semi-metal ester monomer or alkoxysilanes monomer corresponding to the general formula:

(R 1 O)(R 2 O)M(X)(X′)

wherein M is equal to Si, Ti, and Zr; wherein X is equal to hydrogen, or —OR 3 , and X′ is equal to hydrogen, or —OR 4 and R1, R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 independently represent a linear or branched alkyl group, preferably a C 1-12 alkyl.

16. The process of claim 14 wherein the sol-gel precursor is selected from the group consisting of tetramethyl orthosilicate, tetraethyl orthosilicate and mixtures thereof.

17. The process of claim 14 wherein an appropriate amount of water to the fragrance emulsion obtained in step b to achieve a diluted fragrance emulsion.

18. The process according to claim 14 further comprising the step of removing the water to obtain a final product in a powder form.