Low water activity oxygen scavenger and methods of using
AssigneeMultisorb Technologies, Inc.
InventorThomas Powers
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Abstract
An oxygen-absorbing composition, device, and method for oxygen scavenging in a low moisture environment are provided. The present invention provides an oxygen absorbing composition which includes an oxygen reducing agent, water, a carrier, an electrolyte salt, and a humectant salt, which may be the same as the electrolyte salt, present in an amount sufficient to reduce the water activity of the composition to below 0.6. Also included are methods of using the composition.
Claims12
A device for scavenging oxygen within a low-moisture container comprising:
- an oxygen absorbing composition comprised of:
- an oxygen reducing agent;
- water;
- a carrier;
- an electrolyte salt;
- and
- a humectant salt, which may be the same as the electrolyte salt, present in an amount sufficient to reduce the water activity of the composition to below 0.6;
- and
- a barrier to enclose said oxygen absorbing composition and retain said oxygen absorbing composition within said low-moisture container, said barrier allowing the passage of oxygen to said composition and limiting the escape of moisture out of said composition.
A method of making an oxygen absorbing composition for use in a low-moisture environment comprising the steps of:
- (a) dissolving an electrolyte salt and a humectant salt in water, wherein the humectant salt may be the same as the electrolyte salt, and wherein the humectant salt and electrolyte salt are present in sufficient amount to reduce the water activity of the composition to below 0.6;
- (b) mixing the solution of step (a) with a carrier;
- (c) blending the mixture of step (b) with at least one reducing agent;
- and
- (d) placing the blend of step (c) within a barrier, the barrier allowing the passage of oxygen to the blend and limiting the escape of moisture away from the blend.
A method of storing moisture-sensitive, oxygen-sensitive substances in a low-moisture, low-oxygen environment, said method comprising:
- placing a moisture-sensitive, oxygen-sensitive substance into an oxygen-permeable container having an environment with an equilibrium relative humidity of less than 50%;
- and disposing an oxygen-scavenging composition within said oxygen-permeable container, said oxygen-scavenging composition disposed within an oxygen-penneable barrier and having a water activity less than 0.60.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.