Microcapsules produced from blended sol-gel precursors and method for producing the same

Abstract

The present invention features microcapsule particle compositions with an oil or aqueous liquid core, and shell composed of a blend of metal or semi-metal oxide polymers. Methods for preparing and using the microcapsule particles in personal care, therapeutic, cosmetic and cosmeceutic products are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A microcapsule particle composition comprising:
 (a) a core formed from an oil or aqueous liquid containing at least one active ingredient; and   (b) a shell encapsulating said core, wherein said shell comprises
 (i) at least one hydrolyzable silicon oxide polymer, and 
 (ii) at least one silicon oxide polymer having a non-hydrolyzable substituent, 
   wherein the polymer of (ii) is present in an amount of 1% to 10% of the total weight of the shell.   
     
     
         2 . The microcapsule particle composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one silicon oxide polymer having a non-hydrolyzable substituent is dimethyldiethoxysilane, n-octylmethyldiethoxysilane, poly(diethoxysiloxane), hexadecyltriethoxysilane, or combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The microcapsule particle composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a surfactant or polymer. 
     
     
         4 . The microcapsule particle composition of  claim 3 , wherein the surfactant or polymer is a phosphate ester. 
     
     
         5 . The microcapsule particle composition of  claim 4 , wherein the phosphate ester is an oleth-10-phosphate. 
     
     
         6 . The microcapsule particle composition of  claim 4 , wherein the phosphate ester is present in an amount up to 5% by weight of the total microcapsule particle composition. 
     
     
         7 . The microcapsule particle composition of  claim 4 , wherein the phosphate ester is present in an amount up to 2% by weight of the total microcapsule particle composition. 
     
     
         8 . The microcapsule particle composition of  claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of the hydrolyzable silicon oxide polymer and the silicon oxide polymer having at least one non-hydrolyzable substituent ranges from 99:1 to 19:1. 
     
     
         9 . The microcapsule particle composition of  claim 1 , wherein the microcapsule particle composition is in the powder form. 
     
     
         10 . A personal care, therapeutic, cosmetic or cosmeceutic, product comprising a microcapsule particle composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . The product of  claim 10 , wherein the consumer product is a personal care product, a personal cleaning product, a shampoo, a hair rinse, a body wash, a soap, an anti-perspirant, a deodorant, a shampoo powder, a deodorant powder, a foot powder, a soap powder, a baby powder, a wash-off product, a laundry product, a powdered detergent, a liquid detergent, a fabric conditioner, a liquid dish detergent, an automatic dish detergent, a dryer sheet, a household cleaning dry wipe, a powder dish detergent, or a floor cleaning cloth. 
     
     
         12 . A process for the preparation of a microcapsule particle composition comprising:
 (a) providing an emulsion containing:
 (i) an oil or aqueous liquid, in which the oil or aqueous liquid contains at least one active ingredient, 
 (ii) at least one hydrolyzable sol-gel precursor, and 
 (iii) at least one sol-gel precursor having at least one non-hydrolyzable substituent, 
   wherein the at least one sol-gel precursor having at least one non-hydrolyzable substituent is present in an amount of 1% to 10% by weight of the total sol-gel precursor of (ii) and (iii); and   (b) curing the emulsion of step (a),   
       thereby preparing the microcapsule particle composition, wherein the at least one hydrolyzable sol-gel precursor is a hydrolyzable silicon alkoxide, the sol-gel precursor having at least one non-hydrolyzable substituent is a silicon oxide precursor having at least one non-hydrolyzable substituent. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 12 , furthering comprising step (c) adding a surfactant or polymer to the product of step (b). 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the surfactant or polymer of step (c) is a phosphate ester. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the sol-gel precursor having at least one non-hydrolyzable substituent is selected from the group consisting of dimethyldiethoxysiliane, n-octylmethyldiethoxysilane, hexadecyltriethoxysilane diethyldiethoxysilane, 1,1,3,3-tetraethoxy-1,3-dimethyldisiloxane, poly(diethoxysiloxane), and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the hydrolyzable sol-gel precursor is a silicon alkoxide selected from the group consisting of tetramethyl orthosilicate, tetraethyl orthosilicate, tetrapropyl orthosilicate, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the emulsion is cured at room temperature or at 30° C. to 70° C. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the emulsion contains a defoamer. 
     
     
         19 . A microcapsule particle composition prepared by the method of  claim 12 . 
     
     
         20 . A personal care, therapeutic, cosmetic or cosmeceutic product comprising the microcapsule particle composition of  claim 19 .