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AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsJames Hongxue Wang, David Michael Schertz
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Selectively cold-water responsive compositions constructed of combinations of polymers including at least one hydrolytically degradable polymer and at least one cold-water soluble polymer are provided. Additionally, methods of making and using selectively cold-water sensitive compositions are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises combining a polylactide and a cold-water soluble polyvinyl alcohol at a temperature above the melting point of the polymer having the higher melting point, and below the decomposition point of the polymer having the lower decomposition point, to form a homogeneous polymer blend is also provided. The cold-water responsive properties of the compositions of the present invention may be varied include water dispersible, water disintegratable, and water weakenable.
A method of making a selectively cold-water responsive homogenous polymer blend composition, comprising melt blending at least 1 weight percent polylactide and at least 45 weight percent of cold water soluble polyvinyl alcohol at a temperature above the melting point of polyvinyl alcohol, and below the decomposition temperature of polyvinyl alcohol, to form a homogeneous polymer blend composition that is either weakenable, disintegratable or dispersible in water at ambient temperature,
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.