- Microencapsulation
Microencapsulation by chemical processes
Coacervation, interfacial or in situ polymerisation, ionic crosslinking/condensation
Chemical microencapsulation
Under the umbrella of “chemical microencapsulation”, we group routes where the microcapsule wall is generated through a chemical reaction:
- Coacervation (simple/complex): phase separation of biopolymers that surround the core.
- In situ polymerisation/crosslinking: formation of a polymeric wall around the active (e.g. interfacial condensation, urethane/urea, melamine-formaldehyde when applicable, or more “green” systems using natural crosslinkers).
- Ionic gelation (e.g. alginate–Ca²⁺): formation of networks through ionic exchange at low temperature.
- Porous inorganic materials (mesoporous silicas, bioclays, etc.)
The result is core–shell or matrix capsules with adjustable thickness, porosity and permeability for controlled release and protection of sensitive actives.
What market challenges does it address?
- Instability of actives against oxidation, light, pH or moisture
- Need for targeted release (trigger: pH, shear, temperature, water) or sustained release in aqueous/oily matrices
- Incompatibility between ingredients (physical separation through wall or matrix)
Applications
- Home care/Detergents
Fragrance microcapsules with friction/water-triggered release and resistance to the base formulation.
- RNA encapsulation for agriculture
- Capsule modification
Modification of capsules for targeted delivery to specific cells.
AINIA’s competitive advantages
- Selection of the optimal chemical route (coacervation vs. polymerisation vs. ionic gelation) based on regulatory aspects, cost, performance and claims.
- Custom wall design: composition (biopolymers, proteins, polysaccharides, hybrids), thickness, crosslinking and permeability tailored to the desired release profile.
- Process control: reaction kinetics, pH, temperature, shear, droplet/seed size.
- Integration with scale-up and transfer to continuous or semi-continuous processes when feasible, and combination with spray drying/chilling or fluidised bed for multilayer capsules.
Key equipment
Laboratory and pilot-scale equipment
Application sectors
Cosmetics
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Agriculture
Food
Would you like to know more?
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Daniel Rivera
Head of Physicochemical Processes
