Granules With Filamentous Coatings

Abstract

The present invention relates to a granule comprising a core and a coating, wherein the core comprises an active compound, and the coating comprises filaments prepared from atomizing a liquid coating composition having the property that the liquid coating composition forms filaments upon atomization.

1 . A granule comprising a core and a coating, wherein the core comprises an active compound and the coating comprises filaments prepared by atomizing a liquid coating composition which forms filaments upon atomization. 
   
   
       2 . The granule of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid coating composition comprises one or more polymers. 
   
   
       3 . The granule of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more polymers are selected from the group of waxes, polypeptides, carbohydrate polymers and synthetic polymers. 
   
   
       4 . The granule of  claim 3 , wherein the polypeptide is gelatin, collagen, casein, chitosan, polyaspartic acid or polyglutamic acid. 
   
   
       5 . The granule of  claim 3 , wherein the carbohydrate polymer is a polysaccharide. 
   
   
       6 . The granule of  claim 5 , wherein the polysaccharide is hyaluronic acid. 
   
   
       7 . The granule of  claim 3 , wherein the synthetic polymer is polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinyl acetate, polyacrylate, polymethacrylate, polyacrylamide, polysulfonate, polycarboxylate, or a copolymer thereof. 
   
   
       8 . The granule of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more polymers are in liquid form. 
   
   
       9 . The granule of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more polymers are dissolved, suspended, or emulsified in the liquid coating composition. 
   
   
       10 . The granule of  claim 2 , wherein the liquid coating composition comprises between 25 to 75% by weight of polymers. 
   
   
       11 . The granules of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid composition comprises auxiliary coating materials. 
   
   
       12 . The granule of  claim 11 , wherein the auxiliary coating materials are selected from the group consisting of solvents, enzyme stabilizers, protective agents, salts, pigments, fibers, fragrances, inorganics, plasticizers, chlorine scavengers, water insoluble minerals, lubricants, surfactants, antistatic agents, hollow particles or light particles. 
   
   
       13 . The granule of  claim 12 , wherein the plasticizer is selected from the group of sugars, sugar alcohols, glycerine, glycerol trimethylol propane, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), neopentyl glycol, triethanolamine, mono-, di- and triethylene glycol or polyethylene glycols (PEGs), urea, phthalate esters such as dibutyl or dimethyl phthalate; thiocyanates, non-ionic surfactants such as ethoxylated alcohols and ethoxylated phosphates and water. 
   
   
       14 . The granule of  claim 12 , wherein the salts, pigments, inorganics, water insoluble minerals, hollow particles or light particles are in a particulate form as particulate matter and are suspended in the liquid coating composition. 
   
   
       15 . The granule of  claim 14 , wherein the particulate matter is predominantly spherical shaped and has an average diameter in their longest dimension of less than the thickness of the coating. 
   
   
       16 . The granule of  claim 1 , wherein the filaments are prepared by simultaneous atomization of at least two different liquid coating compositions which form filaments upon atomization. 
   
   
       17 . The granule of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises materials selected from the group consisting of solvents, enzyme stabilizers, salts, inorganics, clays, plasticizers, chlorine scavengers, fibers, water insoluble minerals, pigments, lubricants, surfactants, antistatic agents, waxes, fragrances, hollow/light particles and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       18 . The granule of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises at least 50% by volume of gas. 
   
   
       19 . The granule of  claim 1 , wherein the gas is atmospheric air, carbon dioxide, nitrogen or a noble gas. 
   
   
       20 . The granule of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises filaments prepared by atomizing at least two different liquid coating compositions which form filaments upon atomization. 
   
   
       21 . The granule of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises between 25 to 75% by weight of filaments. 
   
   
       22 . The granule of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises above 80% by weight of filaments. 
   
   
       23 . The granule of  claim 1 , wherein the active compound is an enzyme. 
   
   
       24 . A granule comprising a core and a filamentous coating, wherein the core comprises an enzyme and the filamentous coating comprises a porous network of filaments in an amount above 60% by weight of the filamentous coating. 
   
   
       25 . The granule of  claim 24 , wherein the porous network of fibers comprises one or more polymers.