Technology Opportunities

Encapsulation of a material inside of another has almost endless applications that include prolonging the shelf-life of a medicine, vitamin or chemical or causing its slow release, creating ‘self-healing’ materials, energy or thermal storage or insulation, or in automobile, airplane or rocket engine heat exchangers. This novel method for the encapsulation of materials in cellulose shells allowing for the creation of oil-in-water or water-in-oil dispersions without the use of surfactants. These unique green materials can be made with low-cost, non-toxic, inert, recyclable and biodegradable materials.