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High volume production facility for high accuracy nanocapsules

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - NANOHIGH (High volume production facility for high accuracy nanocapsules)

Reporting period: 2015-12-01 to 2016-05-31

The work done during the 6 months of the project has thoroughly been following the work plan signed in the Grant Agreement. In the attached document, the work plan has been explained and detailed.

Objective: The overall objective of NANOHIGH is the deployment in the market of an innovative technology for the industrial production of high accuracy fibered/spherical-shaped nanocapsules that it is expected to account for 10-15 %share of the physical tech segment. This technology, known as Coaxial EHD, enables the cost-effective manufacture of high accuracy micro and nanocapsules with special configurations (coreshells, coredoubleshell…) and functionalities, which can be used for the controlled delivery of active compounds in multiple applications. The performance of this patent protected technology has been demonstrated in a lab scale pilot; however, its derivative products have not fully entered the market due to the lack of industrial scale equipment, required for the market deployment.

NANOHIGH project aims the demonstration of “Coaxial EHD” technology and industrial scale, covering the existing gap and breaking this barrier for the market uptake of new products using high accuracy micro/nano capsules. It is expected that the new technology “Coaxial EHD” will uptake the market once the industrial line exists and its performance and results are probed, making possible the commercial uptake of nanotechnologies, advanced materials and production technologies in a sustainable way. It will be translated into an increase of private investment in research and innovation, notably leverage of private co-investor and/or follow-up investments. YFLOW´s technology will enable the customers to manufacture new products or to improve the existing ones by adding new functionalities to the final products.
In the present study have been deeply studied the segments of application for the YFLOW technology (food and pharmaceutical).
- As a result of the feasibility study, it can be concluded that the business related to the NANOHIGH commercialization is feasible.
- The NANOHIGH project will go on according to the action plan defined in this feasibility study, developing a demonstration project that will help demonstrating and overcoming existing market barriers.
- Thanks to the SME Instrument support, NANOHIGH will develop a greater scope demonstration project including activities of demonstration, dissemination and certification of the product in the main global market: The European market.
- The SME Instrument will also help to support the financial needs of the project, making it possible to reach the European market, what is a market key to achieve a significant position.
In comparison with the most relevant benchmark, spray drying, NANOHIGH solution will offer the following advantages:
- Capability of adaptation to the requirements of the end user. Capability to work in continuous, producing microcapsules in a single step. This allows a great saving of human and financial resources)
- Industrial up scaling will be evaluated in the next 2 years
- Encapsulation efficiency percentages are virtually 100%, which assures not only the stability of the product encapsulated but also eliminates losses of the active ingredients. This contributes to cost saving in raw materials and to the improvement of the quality of the final product.
- Use of lower temperatures. This improves the performance of the process and reduces the energy cost of the process. Spray drying requires working temperature ranges above 100 °C (typically 200-300 °C). When encapsulating living microorganisms (e.g. probiotics) or sensitive compounds (e.g. fatty acids, flavours, vitamins, fragrances) this causes degradation and loss of their activity.
- Use of a wider range of shell materials, with possibility of working both at room temperatures (solutions, dispersions, emulsions) and at high temperatures (molten solids) just by adapting the droplet generation system.
- Ability to be combined with other conventional microencapsulation methods (either physical or chemical methods) leading to advantages and adding value to the process and the final product.
- The production system is adaptable to clean room to preserve the integrity of foodstuffs.
Electrospinning
Nanohigh lab scaled installation