Non-Spherical Droplet

Abstract

Non-spherical liquid droplets comprising a liquid, an internal solid material defining the shape of the droplet, a benefit agent, and methods of making non-spherical liquid droplets.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-spherical liquid droplet, wherein the liquid droplet comprises;
 (a) a liquid;   (b) an internal solid material, the internal solid material defining the shape of the droplet; and   (c) a benefit agent;   wherein the three-phase contact angle of the liquid on the internal solid material is less than about 1°; and wherein the liquid droplet has a yield stress of between about 100 Pascal and about 1,000,000 Pascal, when measured at about 25° C.   
     
     
         2 . The liquid droplet according to  claim 1  wherein the liquid droplet has a yield stress of between about 1000 Pascal and about 100,000 Pascal, when measured at about 25° C. 
     
     
         3 . The liquid droplet according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid droplet has a volume of about 1 ml or less. 
     
     
         4 . The liquid droplet according to  claim 1 , wherein the internal solid material comprises at least about 5%, but no more than about 95%, by volume of the liquid droplet. 
     
     
         5 . The liquid droplet according to  claim 4 , wherein the internal solid material comprises at least about 10%, but no more than about 95%, by volume of the droplet. 
     
     
         6 . The liquid droplet according to  claim 5 , wherein the internal solid material comprises at least about 20%, but no more than about 95%, by volume of the droplet. 
     
     
         7 . The liquid droplet according to  claim 1  wherein the droplet has a circularity of at least one orientation of less than about 0.9. 
     
     
         8 . The liquid droplet according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid droplet has an aspect ratio of at least one orientation of greater than 1.0. 
     
     
         9 . The liquid droplet according to  claim 8 , wherein the liquid droplet has an aspect ratio of at least orientation of greater than or equal to 2.0. 
     
     
         10 . The liquid droplet according to  claim 9 , wherein the liquid droplet has an aspect ratio of at least one orientation of greater than or equal to 10. 
     
     
         11 . The liquid droplet according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid is an aqueous liquid or an oil. 
     
     
         12 . The liquid droplet according to  claim 1 , wherein the internal solid material is selected from the group consisting of waxes, polymers, gums, inorganic materials, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The liquid droplet according to  claim 1 , wherein the benefit agent is selected from the group consisting of fabric care agents, home care agents, health care agents, beauty care agents, medicaments, nutraceuticals, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The liquid droplet according to  claim 1 , wherein the benefit agent is solid, and has a three-phase contact angle of the droplet liquid on the solid benefit agent of less than 1°. 
     
     
         15 . The liquid droplet according to  claim 1 , wherein the benefit agent is liquid, and;
 a. if present in the droplet liquid, the droplet liquid/benefit agent mixture has a three-phase contact angle on the internal solid material of less than 1°;   b. if present in the internal solid material, then there is a three-phase contact angle of the droplet liquid on the internal solid material/liquid benefit agent mixture of less than 1°; or   c. a combination thereof.   
     
     
         16 . A composition comprising an external liquid and the liquid droplet according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid droplet is immiscible with the external liquid. 
     
     
         17 . The composition according to  claim 16 , wherein the external liquid is an aqueous liquid and the liquid droplet comprises a liquid which is an oil, or wherein the external liquid is an oil and the liquid droplet comprises a liquid which is an aqueous liquid. 
     
     
         18 . A method of depositing a benefit agent onto a substrate comprising the steps of;
 i) preparing a liquor comprising an external liquid and a non-spherical liquid droplet according to  claim 1 ; and   ii) contacting the liquor with the substrate.   
     
     
         19 . A method for making a non-spherical droplet according to  claim 1  comprising the steps of;
 (i) mixing a first liquid composition comprising a molten ingredient having a yield stress of between about 100 and about 100,000 Pascals, the yield stress being measured at a temperature of about 25° C. and a second liquid and a liquid benefit agent, wherein the first and second liquids and liquid benefit agent are mixed at a temperature above about 50° C. to make a liquid droplet premix; 
 (ii) preparing a channel, wherein the channel optionally comprises a third liquid, the third liquid being immiscible with the second liquid, and wherein the third liquid flows through the channel; 
 (iii) drawing individual droplets of the liquid droplet premix into the channel, wherein the channel comprises a constriction to shape the droplet; 
 (iv) passing the premix droplets into the constriction at a temperature of about 50° C. or below so that the first liquid solidifies to produce liquid non-spherical droplets; and 
 (v) depositing the non-spherical liquid droplets into a composition comprising the third liquid, the third liquid being immiscible with the second liquid.