Course description
Microencapsulation
This course covers the basic science and engineering of microencapsulation across a wide range of applications including the important stages of emulsification control, stability and release property control. While the majority of the course involves emulsions, multiple emulsions and particle coating, we also include a comprehensive description of the range of valuable characterisation tools and their applicability. The emphasis is on understanding the flow behaviour of the interaction of the various components in such complex systems. This should provide the basis for a rational approach to formulating and producing micro encapsulates to meet a range of needs.
The course offers a programme of academic and industry cooperation taking delegates from the basic science through to manufactured products. Recent updates to the course mean that we are now also focusing on alternatives to historical microencapsulation systems in response to the recent microplastics regulations, which is driving the industry towards developing biodegradable alternatives. This year’s course will feature sessions to better understand the regulation environment, to specifically describe alternative microcapsule shell materials that are more environmentally friendly and some discussion around biodegradability testing.
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Suitability - Who should attend?
Who should attend?
This course is for you if you’re a scientist or engineer in the chemical, petroleum, polymers, coatings, inks, food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics or general chemical industries with responsibility for R&D projects, process engineering, manufacturing or product formulation involving incorporating microencapsulates into formulated products.
Outcome / Qualification etc.
On completion of this course you’ll have an understanding of:
- developing a rational approach to formulate or modify emulsions for optimal processing behaviour, and using available laws and scaling relations to predict behaviour
- the various methods of turning emulsions into encapsulates, including the process conditions that impact their final properties and behaviour
- selecting characterisation devices and defining measurement procedures for a specific application
- evaluating and interpreting experimental data.
Training Course Content
Day One
Basic science and key points around microencapsulation: what you need to know to get started
- Map to guide you through the course: microencapsulation methods vs product requirements
- Important properties of system to encapsulate (Hansen solubility parameter)
- Important capsule properties
Spray Drying
- Introduction to spray drying for encapsulation
- Droplets and sprays in encapsulation: background in forming droplets from nozzles and common process units
- Coating of ParticlesProcess - fluid bed coaters, pan coaters
- Particle functionalisation by core-shell or matrix-encapsulation in fluidised beds from an industrial perspective
Day Two:
Coating of Particles cont…..
- Industry presentation on coating of solid particles using fluid beds
- Single step and solvent-free plasma functionalization and encapsulation of particles
- How to decide on an affordable microencapsulation method - economics behind encapsulation
Emulsion-based methods
- Focus on emulsion-based methods: what the rest of the course contains
- Microplastics regulations
- Industry perspective : EU regulations and impact on industry with regards environmental impact and micro plastics with respect to formulated products
- Emulsion theory, importance of miscibility/cLogP, how useful is HLB of surfactants, Pickering emulsions/colloidosomes
- Membrane emulsification: applications in encapsulation/coacervation and biodegradable polymers
- Interfaces into shells: past and current encapsulation methods and release methods
Day three:
Emulsion-based methods - turning emulsions into core-shell microcapsules
- Interfacial polymerisation: traditional vs potential of living radical polymerisation methods
- Pickering emulsions for food applications with emphasis on the controlled delivery of actives
- Biodegradability
- Key properties and evaluation
- Characterisations of release and biodegradability of capsules and other properties
- Evaluating mechanical properties and release rates - techniques, challenges and watch outs
Expenses
For more information about price, please contact the University.