Micro- & NanoEncapsulation Services in the Catalan Institute of Nanotechnology

- MICRO- AND NANOENCAPSULATION SERVICES -
The Micro- & NanoEncapsulation mission is to assist private companies and public research institutes to develop novel encapsulation products.
Within the Catalan Institute of Nanotechnology (ICN), the Supramolecular NanoChemistry and Materials (NANOup) team provides expertise, specialized equipment and dedicated laboratory space for product R&D and industrial scale-up. Covering product design, development of tailored manufacturing processes, quality control parameters and scale-up to commercial quantities, a complete product development is provided.
- CUSTOM SOLUTIONS -
We can help you to protect solid particles or liquid droplets and ensure controlled release of the active components. With extensive experience and knowledge in the microencapsulation field, we can solve your technical problems in any industrial sector.
- CONTACT US -
We are already working with several companies to develop new commercial products and techniques that incorporate Micro- and NanoTechnologies.
Questions on encapsulation? Feel free to contact us!
[email protected]

1. Micro- & Nanoencapsulation Services

2. Presentation About us

3. Catalan Institute of Nanotechnology (ICN) The  Catalan Institute of Nanotechnology (ICN)  is a non-profit private foundation created in 2003 by the Ministry of Universities, Research and Information Society of the Catalan Government (DIUE) and the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). It is part of CERCA, the network of Research Centres launched by the Catalan Government as a cornerstone of its long-term strategy to foster development of a knowledge-based economy. ICN's research lines focus on the newly discovered physical and chemical properties that arise from the fascinating behaviour of matter at the nanoscale .

4. Supramolecular NanoChemistry & Materials The  Supramolecular NanoChemistry & Materials ( NANO up )  group was set up in 2009 by ICREA Research Prof Daniel Maspoch. It comprises 5 senior researchers, 6 PhD students and 1 project manager. NANO up uses supramolecular chemistry to explore new materials and applications (in close collaboration with several private companies) in diverse areas, including micro- and nanoencapsulation, drug-delivery systems, contrast agents, and novel sensors and magnetic platforms.

5. Carlos Carbonell C o ntracted PhD Marta Rubio ICN Fellow Marta González Project Manager Dr. Sonia García C o ntracted Post-Doc Dr. Nereida Mejías Senior Technician Àngels Ruyra Ramón Areces Fellow ICREA Prof. Daniel Maspoch Group Leader Dr. Inhar Imaz RyC Researcher Dr. Mary Cano Researcher Dr. Kyriakos Stylianou Marie Curie Fellow Iván Burneo SENESCYT Fellow Arnau Carné FI Fellow Javier Ariñez FPU Fellow NANO up team

6. Nanoscale Supramolecular Materials Supramolecular Nanostructures on Surfaces Micro- and Nanoencapsulation Technologies Research Lines Basic Research Micro- and Nano - e ncapsulation Services

7. Packaging micro- or nanoparticles of solid, liquid or gas (the core or active substance) within a secondary material (the matrix or shell), to form nano - or microcapsules Micro- and Nanoencapsulation Technologies The core material is protected by a shell and only delivered when needed. Triggered release (pH, T, pressure) Target release (site recognition) Sustained release (shell decomposition )

8. Functional advantages Protect core material Change properties (increase solubility, mask taste, etc.) Reduce costs Decrease toxicity (reduce required dose ; local release) Aesthetic improvements

9. Micro- & Nanoencapsulation Services To help private companies and public research institutes to develop novel encapsulation products Our mission: we provide a complete product development service

10. Design From the lab to the market: Development Quality Control We design and fabricate new products, based on in-house technology, and assist collaborators with scaling-up. Scale-up to Commercial Quantitites

11. Our expertise Core Hydrophobic liquids Aqueous solutions Solids Emulsions Dispersions Gases Shell Polymers: natural (polysaccharides, proteins, etc.), synthetic (polyamides , polyesters, polyureas, polyurethanes , urea/melamine-formaldehyde resin, polystyrene , etc.), semi synthetic (chitosan , cellulose, starch, etc.) Lipids : cholesterol, phospholipids Inorganic materials: SiO 2 We have developed diverse types of micro- and nanocapsules to match each industrial sector and application. These differ by their membrane, which is carefully selected to suit the customer’s needs. Depending on the final application, the membrane can be further optimised.

12. We can encapsulate core materials in different polymer membranes. Encapsulation protects the active component in the core, enables controlled release and reduces or eliminates toxicity. Our capabilities +

13. Our equipment Through specialised facilities—some of which are unique in Spain—we offer high-level technical assistance to collaborate with external partners, including for commercial R&D. Equipment for synthesis Pilot plant Characterisation

14. Nanochemistry L ab Rotary evaporator Freezer (-80 ºC) Lyophiliser Ultracentrifuge Spray-drying Nanospray Spray Drier ( Büchi ) Mini Spray Drier ( Büchi ) Particle miniaturisation Extrusion LIPEX TM extruder (Northern Lipids) Liposome preparation a t 10 mL scale

15. High pressure homogenisation M-110L Microfluidiser Processor High-shear fluids processing Microfluidics Pilot plant reactor Dispermat CN 0.5 to 40 L Dissolver Bench scale mixers Overhead stirrers Ultraturrax (IKA) Ultrasound probe

16. Stability studies Turbiscan Mastersizer Direct Visualisation SEM TEM Cryo-TEM Rupture force & deformability studies Nanoindentator Full physical characterisation Viscosimeter Full chemical characterisation IR, UV, Elemental analysis, EDX, TOF-SIMS, X-ray powder diffraction Study of the release Porosity studies BET Size determination DLS SEM 4 m m

17. Custom solutions With extensive experience and knowledge in the microencapsulation field, we can solve your technical problems in any industrial sector. We can help you to protect solid particles or liquid droplets and ensure controlled release of the active components. 

18. Agriculture Textiles Construction Nutrition Drugs Cosmetics Nanotechnology does not always involve expensive equipment or rare materials: it can often be incorporated into existing industrial processes with minimal capital investment.

19. Fragrance encapsulation for detergents and softeners Biocide encapsulation for paintings Disinfectant encapsulation for clinical surfaces disinfection Enzymatic encapsulation Peptide micronisation Capsules for self-repairing wood Development of encapsulating matrices using metal-organic systems Encapsulation of phage & inmunostimulants in liposomes and in polysaccharide & biocompatible polymers We are already working with several companies to develop new commercial products and techniques that incorporate Nanotechnology:

20. Thank you for your attention! Group Leader, NANO UP [email protected] Micro- and Nanoencapsulation Technologies Leader, NANO UP [email protected] Head of Knowledge and Technology Transfer, ICN [email protected] Questions on encapsulation? Feel free to contact us!