Process for making polymeric particles

Abstract

A particulate composition comprising particles which consist of a shell wall surrounding a hydrophilic core, wherein the shell wall is formed from a polymeric coacervate and wherein the particles comprise a polymeric amphipathic stabiliser. Also claimed is a process of producing a particulate composition comprising particles which consist of a shell wall surrounding a hydrophilic core, comprising the steps of a) forming an aqueous liquid that contains a wall building material that is capable of forming the shell wall by coacervation, b) dispersing the aqueous liquid into a water immiscible liquid, which comprises a stabilising substance to form a dispersion that comprises aqueous droplets dispersed in a continuous phase of water immiscible liquid, c) subjecting the dispersion to coacervation conditions, such that the wall building material coacervates at the surface of the aqueous doplets, characterised in that the stabilising substance comprises a polymeric amphipathic stabiliser. Preferably the particulate composition obtainable by the process contains an active ingredient and is used in a detergent composition. The active ingredient preferably comprises any of detergency building ingredients, a buffering system and/or a sequesterant and/or detergent builder. Citric acid is a particularly preferred active ingredient.