Kamyshny A, Magdassi S.
Microencapsulation., in
Encycl. Surf. Colloid Sci. (3rd Ed.). Vol 6. CRC Press ; 2016 :4636 - 4648.
AbstractMicroencapsulation is a process by which a gas, liq., or solid material (core) is packaged inside capsules of a second material (shell), which protects and isolates the core material from the surrounding environment and adjusts its properties in accordance with requirements. In other words, a microcapsule (MC) is a reservoir contg. an active substance surrounded by a membrane (typically made of a natural or synthetic polymer). MCs are spherical or irregular particles in the size range from 50 nm to a few hundred micrometers; the most widely used are capsules of micron size (capsules smaller than I mm are often classified as nanocapsules, and capsules larger than 1000 mm are called macrocapsules or beads). Com. MCs typically have a diam. between 3 and 800 mm. In this entry we focus on the manufg. methodologies and mechanisms of microencapsulation, including evaluation of the nature and properties of core and shell ingredients. Current and potential applications of MCs in various fields of chem. and life sciences, as well as in related industries, will also be presented. [on SciFinder(R)]