微囊化（英语：Micro-encapsulation）系利用天然的或合成的高分子材料（统称为囊材）作为囊膜壁壳，将固态或液态药物包裹成为的药库型微型胶囊。微囊可以掩盖药物的不良气味及口味；还能够提高药物的稳定性；并会减少药物对胃的刺激；固化液态药物，以方便其使用；减少复方药物的配伍变化；应用最多的是通过微囊化方法形成缓控释制剂和靶向制剂；一些微囊还可以将活细胞或者生物活性物质包裹在内。

微囊的囊材要有无毒无刺激、化学性质稳定、具有适宜的释药性、有一定的强度、有合格的粘度等特性，常用的囊材主要有天然高分子囊材，如明胶、阿拉伯胶、琼脂、海藻酸及其盐、壳聚糖等；半合成高分子囊材，如羧甲基纤维素钠、醋酸纤维素碳酸酯、乙基纤维素、甲基纤维素、羟丙基纤维素；合成高分子囊材包括生物降解的聚碳酯、聚氨基酸、聚乳糖、丙交酯乙交酯共聚物、聚乳酸-聚乙二醇嵌段共聚物，非生物降解的聚酰胺、硅橡胶等。

Micro-encapsulation is a process in which tiny particles or droplets are surrounded by a coating to give small capsules, of many useful properties. In general, it is used to incorporate food ingredients, enzymes, cells or other materials on a micro metric scale. Microencapsulation can also be used to enclose solids, liquids, or gases inside a micrometric wall made of hard or soft soluble film, in order to reduce dosing frequency and prevent the degradation of pharmaceuticals . In a relatively simple form, a microcapsule is a small sphere with a uniform wall around it. The material inside the microcapsule is referred to as the core, internal phase, or fill, whereas the wall is sometimes called a shell, coating, or membrane. Some materials like lipids and polymers, such as alginate, may be used as a mixture to trap the material of interest inside. Most microcapsules have pores with diameters between a few micrometers and a few millimeters. The coating materials generally used for coating are: