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AssigneeFPInnovations
InventorsStephanie Beck, Jean Bouchard, Richard Berry
Estimating the term…
A new method to control the dispersibility of dried nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) by controlling solution pH and ionic strength is provided; when stable, non-reswellable acid-form NCC (H-NCC) films are placed in concentrated sodium hydroxide solutions, they swell but do not disperse; while sodium-form NCC (Na-NCC) or other NCC films having neutral monovalent counterions readily disperse in pure water, Na-NCC films placed in hydrochloric acid and sodium chloride as well as sodium hydroxide solutions of sufficient ionic strength swell, but do not disperse; similar properties are observed for freeze-dried NCC products. The dispersibility of these NCC films is a function of the ionic strength and the identity of the electrolyte solutions to which they are exposed. NCC films are envisaged that have barrier properties in an electrolyte solution but that disintegrate or disperse when rinsed with pure water at the end of their useful lifespan.
A system having an aqueous liquid electrolyte environment having an ionic strength of at least 5 mM, said environment containing cations consisting essentially of monovalent cations, contained by a barrier comprising an H-NCC film in which at least part of the H+ protons are replaced by a monovalent cation other than H+, said barrier being dispersible in water but non-dispersible in said liquid environment.
A packaged aqueous liquid, in which the liquid has an ionic strength of at least 5 mM, said liquid containing cations consisting essentially of monovalent cations, said liquid being in contact with a barrier film of a packaging for said liquid, said barrier film being an H-NCC film in which at least part of the H+ protons are replaced by a monovalent cation other than H+, said barrier film being dispersible in water but non-dispersible in said aqueous liquid.
A method of producing a water-disintegratable barrier film for aqueous liquids having an ionic strength greater than 5 mM comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.