Researchers at the University of Massachusetts, USA, have recently filed a patent to make (ultra-fine) nanoemulsions for pharmaceutical and cosmetic use which help the body absorb treatments more easily. One unexpected finding is that these nanoemulsions are also sterile - bacteria-free. This property will considerably lengthen the shelf-life of such products.
Emulsions are mixtures of two liquids which don't really mix like oil and water. They are created by suspending globules of one liquid in another. Previously the only way to make fine emulsions was to grind mixtures to make the particles smaller. The new method makes nanoemulsions by passing the liquid mix through a type of atomiser at high pressure (1700 atmospheres). The resulting turbulence breaks up the large bubbles of liquid into smaller nano bubbles. Robert Nicolosi, the lead scientist thinks the bacteria are killed by the turbulence.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Nanoemulsions
- Opportunity for developing more effective and easily absorbed pharmaceutical and cosmetic products through the use of sterile nanoemulsions.
- Extended Shelf-life
- Opportunity to create long-lasting cosmetic and pharmaceutical products with increased shelf-life by harnessing the sterilizing properties of nanoemulsions.
- Atomisation Technology
- Opportunity to improve emulsion-making processes by utilizing atomisation technology to create finer and bacteria-free nano bubbles.
Where This Applies
- Pharmaceutical
- Disruptive innovation opportunity in the pharmaceutical industry to develop more efficient and longer-lasting drug delivery systems utilizing nanoemulsions.
- Cosmetics
- Opportunity for the cosmetics industry to create sterile and longer shelf-life products by incorporating nanoemulsions into skincare and personal care formulations.
- Chemical Engineering
- Disruptive innovation opportunity in the chemical engineering field to advance emulsion-making processes by leveraging atomisation technology and its sterilizing properties.
