Method and apparatus for triggering oxygen scavenging composition with pulsed light

Abstract

A method for triggering an oxygen scavenging composition for use in packaging an oxygen sensitive article includes the steps of providing an oxygen scavenging composition comprising an oxidizable organic compound and, optionally, a transition metal catalyst, and exposing the composition to a source of pulsed light wherein each pulse has a duration of between 1 microsecond and 1 millisecond, a frequency of between 0.1 to 100 Hertz, and a total intensity of at least 350 mW/cm2 so that each pulse provides the composition with a dose of light of at least 0.1 J/cm2 so as to provide a triggered composition. The triggered composition can be applied to an article so as to provide an oxygen scavenging package. An apparatus and packaging system are also disclosed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.