Biodegradable Micro-Encapsulation of Active Ingredients
BASF is an industry leading chemicals company creating solutions for a sustainable future. The company is seeking biodegradable micro-encapsulation technologies for active ingredients. BASF is particularly interested in non-microplastic core / shell particles to encapsulate hydrophobic active ingredients, where microplastic is solid particle >1 nm containing a non-biodegradable polymer.

What we're looking for:
BASF is seeking a biodegradable encapsulation material for hydrophobic active ingredients. Core-shell morphologies are of high interest, but relevant matrix capsules and other morphologies will be considered.

Solutions of interest include:
- Active ingredients could be assumed as hydrophobic liquid at 25C
- Capsule sizes should ideally be d(50) < ~ 6 μm and d(90) < ~15 μm
- The active ingredient concentration to be encapsulated is >10%
- The tightness of capsules / active ingredient release profile is adjustable
- A >90% encapsulation efficiency is ideal
- Cost-effective solution: ideally <~20 $/kg for the capsule material and < ~2 $/kg for manufacturing
- Biodegradable as per ISO 17556:2012: 90% ultimate degradation in soil at 12 °C within 24 months

Our must-have requirements are:
- Safe chemistry that doesn’t introduce hazardous substances or generate microplastics
- Suspension in water or oil

Our nice-to-have requirements are:
- Green chemistry approaches: polymers from natural sources/resources
- TRL3 technology has been developed for licensing / commercialization

What's out of scope:
- PU/PA based chemistries
- Dry/powder encapsulants

We will screen the potential ideas and depending on the maturity level, set up a sponsored research collaboration (typically $50k-$150k for a one-year collaboration).