Silica microcapsules, process of making the same and uses thereof

A process for the preparation of a microcapsule comprising step a):

• a) contacting with an acidic or alkali catalyst an emulsion formed between a water phase comprising water, an alcohol and one or more surfactants, and an oil phase comprising a silica precursor and a hydrophobic solvent or an oil, for a time sufficient and at a temperature sufficient to obtain a formed microcapsule in a liquid phase;
• wherein said surfactant is chosen from a PEO/PPO copolymer (pluronic P123), sorbitan monooleate (Span 80), sorbitan trioleate (Span 85), sorbitan tristearate (Span 65) or sorbitan sesquioleate, sorbitan monolaurate (Span 20), a PEO/PPO copolymer, glycerol monooleate, Tween 20 (polysorbate 20), Tween 80 (polysorbate 80), polysorbate 61 (Tween 61), cetyl trimethylamonium bromide (CTAB), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), a polyoxyethylene fatty ether (Brij30), a nonylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol, an octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol, ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS), sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, sodium laurate, sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), sodium stearate, lauryl dimethylamine oxide (DDAO), triethanolamine lauryl sulfate, lauryl methyl gluceth-10 hydroxypropyl dimonium chloride (Glucquat 125), cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC), distearyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DDAC), benzethonium chloride (hyamine), benzalkonium chloride (ADBAC), cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB), lecithin, dialkylester ammonium methososulfate, di(tallowcarboxyethyl)hydroxyethyl methyl ammonium methylsulfate, distearyl phthalic acid amide, stearamidopropalkonium chloride and combinations thereof.