# US 2018/0125729 A1 · Low friction core-shell nanofibrous membranes for delivery of active ingredients to the wet skin

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- Number: US 2018/0125729 A1
- Document ID: US20180125729A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/788,777
- Filed: 2017-10-19
- Published: 2018-05-10
- Earliest claimed: 2016-11-09
- Assignees: Nano and Advanced Materials Institute Limited
- Applicants: Nano and Advanced Materials Institute Limited
- Inventors: Ho Wang TONG; Connie Sau Kuen KWOK
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180125729A1

## CPC

- A61F 13/51113: {comprising an additive, e.g. lotion or odour control (A61F13/51108 takes precedence)}
- A61F 13/15617: {Making absorbent pads from fibres or pulverulent material with or without treatment of the fibres}
- A61F 13/49: specially adapted to be worn around the waist, e.g. diapers or nappies
- A61F 13/51121: {characterised by the material}
- A61L 15/44: Medicaments
- A61L 15/60: Liquid-swellable gel-forming materials, e.g. super-absorbents
- D01D 5/0038: {the fibre formed by solvent evaporation, i.e. dry electro-spinning}
- D01D 5/0046: {the fibre formed by coagulation, i.e. wet electro-spinning}
- D01D 5/0069: {characterised by the spinning section, e.g. capillary tube, protrusion or pin}
- D01D 5/34: Core-skin structure; Spinnerette packs therefor
- D01F 1/10: Other agents for modifying properties
- D01F 2/00: Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of cellulose or cellulose derivatives; Manufacture thereof
- D01F 6/90: of polyamides
- D01F 8/12: with at least one polyamide as constituent
- D04H 1/728: by electro-spinning {(electro-spinning methods and apparatus D01D5/0007)}
- A61F 2013/00906: {for transcutaneous or transdermal drugs application}
- A61F 2013/15097: {as genital prophylaxis}
- A61F 2013/15235: {by its solubility in water}
- A61F 2013/15447: {Fibre dimension, e.g. denier or tex}
- A61F 2013/15934: {for making non-woven}
- A61F 2013/49098: {Other Details not otherwise provided of the absorbent articles specially adapted to be worn around the waist}
- A61F 2013/5103: {being hydrophobic}
- A61F 2013/51117: {the lotion having skin care properties}
- A61F 2013/530306: {coated with superabsorbent polymer}
- A61L 2400/12: Nanosized materials, e.g. nanofibres, nanoparticles, nanowires, nanotubes; Nanostructured surfaces
- D10B 2201/02: Cotton
- D10B 2401/022: hydrophylic
- D10B 2403/0241: enhancing mechanical properties
- D10B 2403/0242: enhancing chemical properties
- D10B 2509/026: Absorbent pads; Tampons; Laundry; Towels
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K)
- D01D: MECHANICAL METHODS OR APPARATUS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS
- D01F: CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS
- D04H: MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL (weaving D03; knitting D04B; braiding D04C; net-making D04G; sewing D05B; tufting D05C; finishing non-woven fabrics D06); FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING {; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION}(non-woven fabrics having an intermediate or external layer of a different kind, e.g. of woven fabric, B32B)
- D10B: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLASSES OF SECTION D, RELATING TO TEXTILES

## Abstract

A membrane for skin comprising a plurality of randomly oriented core-shell nanofibers is provided in the present invention, where each of said core-shell nanofibers comprises at least an active-ingredient-loaded polymeric core and a non-polymeric shell consisting of active ingredients only surrounding the core. Related fabrication method of said membrane is also provided in the present invention.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A membrane comprising a plurality of randomly oriented core-shell nanofibers, each of said core-shell nanofibers comprising:
a non-polymeric nanofiber shell which is composed of one or more active ingredients and remains intact under a dry condition but is instantly dissolvable under a wet condition; and
a polymeric nanofiber core comprising a polymer incorporated with one or more active ingredients which remains intact under either a dry or wet condition but is able to release the one or more active ingredients in a controlled release manner when said nanofiber shell is dissolved.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The membrane of claim 1, wherein said core-shell nanofiber has a diameter of 100-1000 nm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The membrane of claim 1, wherein the nanofiber core has a diameter of 50-900 nm.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The membrane of claim 1, wherein the nanofiber shell has a thickness of 25-250 nm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The membrane of claim 1, wherein the core-shell nanofiber has a surface potential of 10-100 V.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The membrane of claim 1, wherein the one or more active ingredients in any of the nanofiber shell and core are small molecules having a molecular weight of 400 Da or below.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The membrane of claim 6, wherein the small molecules have skincare properties comprising one or more of hydration, moisturizing, acne treatment, anti-irritation, whitening, anti-aging, and/or anti-oxidant.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The membrane of claim 7, wherein the small molecules having hydration and/or moisturizing properties comprise urea, pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (PCA), panthenol, trehalose, cyclomethicone, caprylyl glycol, lecithin, tocopheryl acetate, squalane, hydrolysed collagen, polyquatemium-51 and methyl gluceth-20.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The membrane of claim 7, wherein the small molecules having acne treatment property comprise alpha hydroxyl acid (AHA), salicylic acid, menthol and niacinamide.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The membrane of claim 7, wherein the small molecules having anti-irritation property comprise allantoin, bisabolol and dimethicone.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The membrane of claim 7, wherein the small molecules having whitening property comprise ascorbic acid, kojic acid, hydroquinone, azelaic acid and niacinamide.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The membrane of claim 7, wherein the small molecules having anti-aging property comprise vitamin E and retinoic acid.

### Claim 13 (depends on 7)

The membrane of claim 7, wherein the small molecules having anti-oxidant property comprise resveratrol, epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG), lycopene, genistein, and trehalose.

### Claim 14 (depends on 7)

The membrane of claim 7, wherein the small molecules are incorporated into the polymeric core and interact with each other via hydrogen bonding or electrostatic attraction.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The membrane of claim 1, wherein the polymer of the polymeric core comprises nylon, cellulose acetate (CA), polystyrene (PS), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), poly(lactic acid) (PLA), poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyurethane (PU), gelatin, chitosan and polyhydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate (PHBV).

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The membrane of claim 1, wherein said membrane delivers small molecules of the active ingredients instantly when the non-polymeric nanofiber shell of the membrane is in contact with a wet skin and sequentially delivers said small molecules from the polymeric nanofiber core in a controlled release manner when the non-polymeric nanofiber shell is substantially dissolved to form a high concentration solution at the interface between the wet skin and the polymeric nanofiber core.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The membrane of claim 16, wherein the small molecules from both the non-polymeric nanofiber shell and polymeric nanofiber core are delivered transdermally into the wet skin.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The membrane of claim 1, wherein said membrane is shifted with a shearing force of 500 mN or below when the non-polymeric nanofiber shell of the membrane is substantially dissolved during contact with a wet skin.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

A superabsorbent polymer of a diaper comprising the membrane of claim 1 as acquisition layers to reduce rewet amount by at least 25% as compared to the same type of superabsorbent polymer without said membrane.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

A method of fabricating the core-shell nanofibers of the membrane of claim 1 through needle-less electrospinning, comprising:
mixing one or more active ingredients with a polymer solution to form a mixture and loading the mixture into a reservoir capable of moving back and forth through an electrode at high voltage;
loading an active ingredient solution containing at least one active ingredient into the same reservoir simultaneously with said mixture such that the electrode is coated with both the mixture and the solution;
placing a grounded moving substrate at a certain distance above the electrode such that an electric potential difference is created between the electrode and the substrate;
applying an electric force to the mixture and solution to form multiple cone-like structures along the electrode;
when the electric force is sufficient to overcome the surface tension of the mixture and the solution, a polymer jet is initiated from each cone-like structure, wherein the polymer jet is a coaxial structure comprising an active ingredient-loaded polymer solution core and an active ingredient solution shell surrounding the core;
evaporating the solvent of the mixture and the solution such that a plurality of the polymer jets solidifies and forms core-shell nanofibers; and
collecting said core-shell nanofibers on the moving substrate.