Microencapsulation from Encapsys

The great thing about microencapsulation is that the applications are almost endless. Here are a few of the markets and industries we're working in. But these certainly aren't the only ones. If you've tried microencapsulation before and had some difficulty getting the results you wanted, don't worry. We've helped others overcome similar challenges. We're open to any and all challenges, so if you think microencapsulation could be right for your business as well, please give us a call.

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Agriculture

Volatility, efficacy, worker safety and material incompatibility are all important issues for the agrochemical industry. And they're all issues microencapsulation is well-suited to address.

While many agricultural chemical brands have had experience with microencapsulation, they haven't always had the success they'd like. At Encapsys, we've developed new microencapsulation technology that has real, proven benefits to the agricultural market.

We are currently developing products in the herbicide, insecticide and fungicide markets with leading global agricultural companies. Through our process, we can encapsulate either solids or liquids, and we offer multiple wall chemistries. What process is right for you and your product? Our team would love to help you find out.

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Paints & Coatings

In the paints and coatings market, additives are a key consideration when it comes to product performance and differentiation. Consumer concern is growing over volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and indoor air quality, due to the presence of mold, for example. By controlling the release or the interaction of chemicals, microencapsulation can enhance the unique characteristics of additives, potentially addressing some of these concerns.

One additives segment that is experiencing strong growth is antimicrobial agents, such as biocides. Biocides protect paint film from mold, mildew and fungi that can damage the dry film and even the substrate. Encapsys chemists are currently working on a number of developments in biocides. They also have experience with other widely used additives, including both liquid and solid materials.

Of course, coatings are just the tip of the iceberg for biocides, which are used for everything from protecting oil pipelines to preserving consumer products. Can microencapsulation help improve the performance of your product? Our team would love to help you find out.

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Oil & Gas

Well stimulation has been used by energy service companies for over 60 years to improve and increase the productivity of oil and gas wells across the globe.

One common technique is hydraulic fracturing. In hydraulic fracturing, a specially designed fluid, under extremely high pressures and flow rates, is pumped into a well to open fissures in the rock formations, allowing additional flow of oil and gas reserves.

Our controlled release technology can help optimize the stimulation materials used through time, temperature or pH-triggered wall chemistries. The result is less material used and more effective fracturing by controlling the fluid viscosity.

To see how Encapsys® microcapsules could potentially optimize your stimulation chemistry formulations or even help you find new and innovative solutions, contact our team.

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Adhesives & Sealants

If the recent recession has taught us anything, it's that we need to be as efficient and productive as possible. We need to do more with less. The adhesives and sealants industry has been hit especially hard during these times, with deteriorating market conditions in key segments like construction, transportation and electronics. To make matters worse, a number of key raw materials are in short supply and costs continue to rise.

While aggressive supply negotiations and product rationalizing can help profitability in the short term, one of the best solutions for sustained effectiveness is innovation. Microencapsulation enables precise timing and delivery of a component, which could help you increase the yield of scarce materials, speed up work in progress or eliminate steps in assembly.

Using our patented microencapsulation technology, we've successfully encapsulated catalysts, resins, initiators, polymers, monomers, oligomers and a host of other adhesive compounds. Our experience includes working with others on adhesive formulations and material compatibility challenges. Our ability to encapsulate solids or liquids has been a valued benefit in this category. And our systems can be aqueous or organic solvent based, depending on the needs of the project. We've also patented technology to encapsulate water-soluble materials, which may have a place in your waterborne solutions.

It all starts with a discussion. Just give our team a call or shoot them an email. They'd love to hear from you.

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Personal & Household Care

Many of the microcapsules used to deliver fragrances have significant limitations on payload or fragrance type and can experience problems with fragrance retention.

Encapsys scientists have worked hard to overcome these limitations. We've found ways to encapsulate solids or liquids, ranging from lipophilic to hydrophilic. Our capabilities could open up opportunities in your market as well. For instance, could changing release points create new possibilities for your specialty chemicals? Or could you control losses by improving the efficiency of expensive chemicals?

What benefits are your customers asking for that you want to deliver? You know your market better than we do. So give as a call or shoot us an email. We'd love to hear from you.

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Paper

Appleton, our company, has been in the specialty coated paper business for over 100 years. And we've used microcapsules in our carbonless papers for over 55 years.

The ingredients in carbonless paper can be very expensive. With microencapsulation, we are able to control the release of those ingredients until they are initiated by the user (via pen or impact printer).

Of course, our chemistries and processes have developed well beyond what's required for carbonless paper. Encapsys scientists have found ways to encapsulate both solids and liquids, ranging from lipophilic to hydrophilic.

What could microencapsulation mean for you? It could help you reduce the amount of expensive additives you use. Or improve your productivity by allowing you to premix materials that don't normally play well together. It could even open up a new avenue neither of us has ever thought of before. So give us a call or shoot us an email. We'd love to hear your questions and ideas.

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Food & Pharmaceutical

Microencapsulation has a number of benefits for the food and pharmaceutical industries. One example is taste masking. Many necessary ingredients have an unpleasant taste. Encapsulating them can prevent an adverse experience for the consumer, while still delivering the functional benefits of the ingredient to the body.

Microencapsulation of food ingredients can also increase the bioavailability of nutrients. This is relevant to many of the latest functional food additives that tend to be unstable, such as probiotics, unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants.

At Encapsys, we're able to encapsulate both solids and liquids, making microencapsulation an ideal delivery system for a wide range of material. Capsule size can be customized to the application, from sub-micron to 1000 microns. And available release mechanisms include enteric, pH and mechanical - which are particularly useful for medicines taken orally.

We are accustomed to working with large and niche-size companies, from the Fortune 50s to specialty suppliers. Of special interest to the food and pharma segments is the multiple business model options available, as well as our FDA-compliant food lab for creating samples.

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