Benefit agent delivery system utilizing an electric field
AssigneeE Ink Corporation
InventorsMadhuvanthi Agaram Kandadai, HongMei Zang
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Abstract
A benefit agent delivery system can deliver benefit agents on demand. The benefit agent delivery system comprises a first electrode layer, a microcell layer comprising a plurality of microcells, and a porous second electrode layer. Each of the plurality of microcells are filled with a liquid mixture comprising reverse micelles in a hydrophobic liquid that are formed from a polar liquid, a surfactant or stabilizing particles, and a benefit agent. Application of an electric field across a microcell layer causes an increase in the rate of release of the benefit agent of the microcell through the porous second electrode layer.
Claims20
A benefit agent delivery system comprising:
- a first electrode layer;
- a microcell layer comprising a plurality of microcells, each microcell including a first opening, and each microcell containing a liquid mixture;
- a porous second electrode layer spanning the first opening of each microcell;
- and
- the first electrode layer, the microcell layer, and the porous second electrode layer being vertically stacked upon each other;
- the liquid mixture comprising reverse micelles in a hydrophobic liquid that are formed from a polar liquid, a surfactant or stabilizing particles, and a benefit agent, the reverse micelle having an average diameter of from 10 nm to 10 μm;
- and
- wherein application of an electric field across a microcell via the first and second electrode layers causes an increase in the rate of release of the benefit agent of the microcell through the porous second electrode layer by more than 10% compared to the rate of release of the benefit agent through the porous second electrode layer before the application of the electric field.
A method for operating a benefit agent delivery system comprising the steps of:
- providing a benefit agent delivery system comprising (a) a first electrode layer, (b) a microcell layer comprising a plurality of microcells, wherein each microcell includes an opening, and wherein each microcell contains a liquid mixture, wherein the liquid mixture comprises reverse micelles in a hydrophobic liquid that are formed from a polar liquid, a surfactant or stabilizing particles, and a benefit agent, (d) a porous second electrode layer spanning the opening of each microcell, and (e) a voltage source that is coupled to the first electrode layer and the porous second electrode layer, wherein the first electrode layer, the microcell layer, and the porous second electrode layer are vertically stacked upon each other;
- applying an electric field across a microcell via the voltage source that causes an increase in the rate of release of the benefit agent of the microcell through the porous second electrode layer by more than 10% compared to the rate of release of the benefit agent through the porous second electrode layer before the application of the electric field.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.