Deven Chemicals acquires Portuguese micro-encapsulation specialist

Advances in Textiles Technology, Nov, 2008

Belgium's Devan Chemicals NV has acquired a Portuguese company that specializes in micro-encapsulation and hydrogel technologies.

Devan's acquisition is Micropolis SA, which is based in Porto and is a spin-off from Minho University. With the financial support of the venture capital company Inovcapital, Micropolis has worked for more than five years developing reactive microcapsules. Micropolis employs five qualified engineers and works closely with several Portuguese universities, such as Minho and Guimaraes.

Micropolis' technology allows the fixation of microcapsules on any type of textile (including cellulosic, synthetic and wool) without the use of binders. This technology imparts wash durability and preserves the soft hand of the textile.

The technology involves the application of microcapsules that have functional reactive groups. The reactive groups allow them to be applied by any conventional textile process such as padding, exhaustion dyeing or spraying, says Devan.

The chemical bond of the microcapsules with the fibres confers the high resistance to washing during the lifetime of the article. In this way, this process avoids the usual disadvantages caused by either the need to use binders or having to embed the microcapsule in fibres.

The major advantages of textiles treated this way are:

* they retain a good hand;

* they maintain their permeability to perspiration;

* the application can be made to any type of fibre or blend; and

* the properties have excellent wash durability.

A major application is with phase-change materials (PCMs), which have the ability to change their physical state (solid--liquid) within a certain temperature range, in response to ambient oscillations.

As a result, they can absorb heat when the temperature goes up, storing this energy temporarily inside the microcapsule, and then release it in the form of heat when the temperature cools down. Generally, PCMs are microencapsulated and applied to fibres, to impart this thermo-regulating effect to the textile.

Describing itself as a fast-growing company developing chemical technology for the textile industry, Devan focuses its activities on niche markets with high added-value, such as:

* antimicrobials;

* flame retardants;

* micro-encapsulation;

* polymers with specialized functions; and

* polymer additives.

Currently, it has 40 employees-29 of them in Belgium--and enjoys an annual turnover of [euro]14 million. (In 1991, it had just eight employees, who helped to generate a turnover of [euro]2 million.)

Solutions beneficial towards the environment are important, Devan believes, leading to its involvement in technologies such as halogen-free flame retardants; non-migrating antimicrobials; and insect-repellent products based on micro-encapsulated essential oils.

For further information, contact: Patrice Vandendaele, Devan Chemicals NV, Klein Frankrijk 18, B-9600 Ronse-Renaix, Belgium. Tel: 55-230110. Fax: 55-230119. E-mail: Patrice.vandendaele@devan.net; http://www.devan.net; or: Jose Albuquerque Sousa, Micropolis, Parque da Ciencia e Tecnologia da Maia, Rua Eng. Frederico Ulrich, 2650, 4470-605 Moreira da Maia, Maia, Portugal. Tel: ?229-408272. E-mail: jcasousa@micropolis.pt; http://www.micropolis.pt; or: Inovcapital--Sociedade de Capital de Risco SA, Av. Dr. Antunes Guimaraes, 103, 4100-079 Porto, Portugal. Tel: ?226-165390. Fax: ?226-102-089. E-mail: geral@inovcapital.pt; http://www.inovcapital.pt; or: Universidade do Minho, Largo do Paco, 4704-553 Braga, Portugal. Tel: ?253-601109. Fax: ?253-601105. E-mail: gcii@reitoria.uminho.pt; http://www.uminho.pt