Capsules for Microplastic-Free Active Ingredients

The cosmetics industry is increasingly looking for products and ingredients with advanced properties that guarantee more innovative and effective cosmetic and skin care products in order to respond to consumer needs.

The targeted release of products of interest, which initially emerged in the pharmaceutical field, has also been transferred to the cosmetic and food industries, with microencapsulation being one of the most effective routes in this field. However, special attention must be given to the materials used in the microcapsules since they must be biocompatible and designed following future regulatory limitations that will arise with the entry into force of the law limiting the use of microplastics. Within this context, the company Creaciones Industriales Aromáticas S.A. (CARINSA) and the Materials Engineering Group (GEMAT) at IQS are collaborating on the OCEANIC project with the aim of developing new microcapsules with active ingredients for hair cosmetics with formulations that are free of microplastics. The project is being funded through the NUCLIS call for R&D technological projects 2023, awarded by ACCIÓ (The Catalan Agency for Business Competitiveness) for industrial research and experimental development projects.

Within the framework of this project, CARINSA and GEMAT will study and develop a new line of encapsulated and technologically advanced products for the hair cosmetics sector, specifically for shampoos. The microencapsulation system of the selected active ingredients will be designed so that it can guarantee holding in the hair, in addition to its stability and functionality over time, through the functionalization of the crust of the microcapsule, and thus ensure specific anchoring that prevents the loss of microcapsules during the process of rinsing hair.

The three specific technological objectives in terms of executing the project to achieve the main objective are as follows:

· Define a new advanced microencapsulation system for active ingredients.

· Encapsulate the selected active ingredients using the defined microencapsulation system.

· Functional validation and integration of the final application formulations. Coordinated by Dr Cristina Fornaguera, the IQS GEMAT group will provide the OCEANIC project with the group’s experience in designing and using advanced materials and systems for the controlled release of active ingredients, in this case cosmetics.

The GEMAT group’s experience will facilitate the design and synthesis of the necessary biomaterials for the subsequent formulation of the desired cosmetic microcapsules, taking into account the regulations restricting the use of microplastics that will come into force in upcoming years.

This project is considered strategic and, as such, CARINSA and IQS – Ramon Llull University have also requested the offering of an industrial doctorate to attract young talent to participate in the project. In CARINSA’s opinion, “industrial doctorates represent a different way of doing research where a company’s interests and needs converge with all the knowledge at universities and within research groups. This allows us to create a University-Business partnership that stimulates the creation of an ecosystem in Catalan companies where talent can grow from within.”des y grupos de investigación. Esto permite crear un tándem Universidad-Empresa que estimula la creación de un ecosistema en las empresas catalanas, donde hacer crecer el talento desde dentro”.