Microchannel device, and high-oil-load microcapsule and method for preparing the same using the microchannel device

A method of preparing an oil-loading microcapsule using a microchannel device, the microchannel device comprising:

• a homogenization chamber;
• and
• a microchannel reaction chamber;
• wherein the homogenization chamber comprises an aqueous phase feed pipe, an oil phase feed pipe, a first high-pressure acceleration pipe, a second high-pressure acceleration pipe, and a mixing pipe;
• an inlet end of the first high-pressure acceleration pipe is connected to the aqueous phase feed pipe, and an outlet end of the first high-pressure acceleration pipe is connected to the mixing pipe;
• an inlet end of the second high-pressure acceleration pipe is connected to the oil phase feed pipe, and an outlet end of the second high-pressure acceleration pipe is connected to the mixing pipe;
• an inner diameter of the first high-pressure acceleration pipe is smaller than that of the aqueous phase feed pipe, and an inner diameter of the second high-pressure acceleration pipe is smaller than that of the oil phase feed pipe;
• the microchannel reaction chamber comprises at least one reaction flow channel;
• the at least one reaction flow channel each comprises at least two microchannels communicated in sequence;
• each of the at least two microchannels comprises an inner tube and an outer tube;
• and a space between the inner tube and the outer tube is configured for fluid flowing;
• and
• the method comprises:
• (S1) mixing an alcohol-soluble protein and a hydrocolloid followed by dispersion, alkalinity regulation, and centrifugal filtration to obtain an aqueous phase mixture;
• and preparing an oil phase;
• (S2) feeding the aqueous phase mixture into the homogenization chamber through the aqueous phase feed pipe, and feeding the oil phase into the homogenization chamber through the oil phase feed pipe;
• dispersing the aqueous phase mixture through the first high-pressure acceleration pipe, and dispersing the oil phase through the second high-pressure acceleration pipe and mixing the aqueous phase mixture and the oil phase in the mixing pipe to form a first emulsion;
• (S3) cooling the first emulsion;
• (S4) adjusting the first emulsion to pH 6.5-7.5 with dilute hydrochloric acid;
• allowing the first emulsion to flow into the microchannel reaction chamber to undergo dispersion and mixing such that the alcohol-soluble protein in the aqueous phase mixture undergoes interfacial coacervation to embed the oil phase, thereby obtaining a second emulsion with a core-shell structure;
• (S5) removing Na+ and Cl− from the second emulsion;
• and
• (S6) drying the second emulsion to obtain the oil-loading microcapsule in a powder form.