Biodegradable foam with alginate
AssigneeCruz Foam, Inc.
InventorsWilliam Thomas Lewczyk, Grant Scott Logan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A foam is described. The foam comprising a polymer matrix including at least one of chitin, chitosan, or chitosan oligosaccharide. The polymer matrix is porous. The foam further comprising alginate. The foam has a density of less than 1 g/cm3. A method of making foam is described. The method comprising dissolving at least one of chitin, chitosan, or chitosan oligosaccharide in a first solution, dissolving alginate in a second solution that is alkaline and separate from the first solution, mixing the first solution and the second solution together to form a foam precursor, and drying the foam precursor to form the foam.
Claims19
A foam, comprising:
- a polymer matrix including at least one of chitin, chitosan, or chitosan oligosaccharide, wherein the polymer matrix is porous;
- and
- alginate disposed in the foam, wherein the foam has a density of less than 1 g/cm3, wherein:
- (i) a chitosan weight percent representative of the chitosan included in the foam is greater than an alginate weight percent representative of the alginate included in the foam;
- or
- (ii) a chitin weight percent representative of the chitin included in the foam is greater than the alginate weight percent.
A method of making foam, comprising:
- dissolving at least one of chitin, chitosan, or chitosan oligosaccharide in a first solution;
- dissolving alginate in a second solution, separate from the first solution, wherein the second solution is alkaline;
- and
- mixing the first solution and the second solution together to form a foam precursor;
- and
- drying the foam precursor to form the foam, wherein the foam comprises a polymer matrix including at least one of the chitin, the chitosan, or the chitosan oligosaccharide, wherein the polymer matrix is porous, wherein the foam further comprises alginate, wherein the foam has a density of less than 1 g/cm3, and wherein:
- (i) a chitosan weight percent representative of the chitosan included in the foam is greater than an alginate weight percent representative of the alginate included in the foam;
- or
- (ii) a chitin weight percent representative of the chitin included in the foam is greater than the alginate weight percent.
A method of producing foam, comprising:
- inputting a first solution into an extruder, wherein the first solution includes at least one of chitin, chitosan, or chitosan oligosaccharide;
- inputting a second solution into the extruder, wherein the second solution includes alginate;
- inputting a plasticizer into the extruder, and
- outputting a foam from the extruder as an extrudate, wherein the foam includes the alginate, the plasticizer, and least one of the chitin, the chitosan, or the chitosan oligosaccharide, wherein the foam comprises a polymer matrix including at least one of the chitin, the chitosan, or the chitosan oligosaccharide, wherein the polymer matrix is porous, wherein the foam further comprises the alginate and the plasticizer, wherein a weight percent of the plasticizer for the foam is greater than a weight percent of the alginate for the foam, and wherein the foam has a density of less than 1 g/cm3.
A foam, comprising:
- a polymer matrix including at least one of chitin, chitosan, or chitosan oligosaccharide, wherein the polymer matrix is porous;
- alginate disposed in the foam, wherein the foam has a density of less than 1 g/cm3;
- and
- a dispersed phase disposed within the polymer matrix, wherein a weight percent of the polymer matrix is less than a weight percent of the dispersed phase.
A foam, comprising:
- a polymer matrix including at least one of chitin, chitosan, or chitosan oligosaccharide, wherein the polymer matrix is porous;
- alginate disposed in the foam, wherein the foam has a density of less than 1 g/cm3;
- and
- a plasticizer, and wherein a weight percent of the plasticizer is greater than a weight percent of the alginate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.