Design of New Polyacrylate Microcapsules to Modify the Water-Soluble Active Substances Release

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Encapsulation Technology

Background:

• Polyacrylates are widely used for microencapsulation but suffer from poor photochemical stability.
• Improving polyacrylate performance is crucial for advanced material applications.
• Combining different acrylate-based polymers offers a potential strategy to enhance microcapsule properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize butyl methacrylate (BUMA)-based terpolymers and copolymers for microencapsulation.
• To evaluate the stability, encapsulation efficiency, and controlled release properties of the developed microcapsules.
• To investigate the impact of polymer composition on the performance of microencapsulated active materials.

Main Methods:

• Free radical polymerization in water using Pickering emulsions to create BUMA-based lattices.
• Synthesis of BUMA_MA_MMA terpolymers and BUMA_MAC copolymers.
• Investigation of encapsulation rate, yield, active substance adsorption, capsule morphology, shelf-life, and controlled release kinetics.

Main Results:

• High encapsulation efficiency and excellent polymer shell stability were achieved with BUMA-based lattices.
• BUMA_MA_MMA terpolymers exhibited complex macromolecular structures.
• BUMA_MAC copolymers demonstrated controlled release profiles, with fast release (approx. 10 h) and slow release (approx. 60 h) achievable.

Conclusions:

• BUMA-based terpolymers and modified BUMA_MAC copolymers effectively encapsulate active materials.
• The developed microcapsules offer tunable release rates, suitable for various applications.
• This approach enhances the performance of polyacrylate microcapsules, addressing limitations in stability and release control.