METHODS FOR ENCAPSULATION OF MATERIALS AND METHODS FOR MAKING RESINOUS COMPOSITIONS AND ARTICLES COMPRISING THE SAME

1 . A method of encapsulation of a material, comprising:

dispersing high aspect ratio particles in a material to form a suspension mixture, wherein the material comprises a monomer and/or a polymer;

adding the suspension mixture to an aqueous mixture to form an aqueous reaction mixture, wherein the aqueous mixture comprises a suspension agent;

heating and mixing the aqueous reaction mixture to encourage the formation of the substantially spherical-shaped beads, wherein most of the substantially spherical-shaped beads encapsulate one or more of the high aspect ratio particles to an extent that the high aspect ratio particle(s) will not become delaminated during processing;

quenching the aqueous reaction mixture after the substantially spherical-shaped beads are formed; and

collecting the substantially spherical-shaped beads.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sonicating the suspension mixture prior to adding the suspension mixture to the aqueous reaction mixture.

3 . The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising utilizing gravity sedimentation and/or centrifugation to separate the substantially spherical-shaped beads into various batches.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the gravity sedimentation comprises:

reslurrying the substantially spherical-shaped beads in a slurry solution to form a separation system having an original volume;

mixing the separation system;

allowing the separation system to stand still to come to equilibrium;

removing a fraction of useable substantially spherical-shaped beads from the separation system;

filtering the fraction of useable substantially spherical-shaped beads that is obtained from the separation system;

washing the filtered fraction of useable substantially spherical-shaped beads to remove any excess slurry solution; and

adding a quantity of water to the remaining substantially spherical-shaped beads and slurry solution in the separation system; and

repeating mixing the separation system, allowing the separation to stand, removing a fraction of useable substantially spherical-shaped beads, filtering the fraction, washing the filtered fraction, and adding a quantity of deionized water to the remaining substantially spherical-shaped beads, as necessary until all the substantially spherical-shaped beads have been removed from the separation system.

5 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising drying the substantially spherical-shaped beads.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pigment further comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of: a colorant, Solvent Blue 35, Solvent Blue 36, Disperse violet 26, Solvent Green 3, Anaplast Orange LFP, Morplas Red 36, and Perylene Red.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the pigment is selected from the group consisting of: Solvent Blue 35 and Solvent Blue 36.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the high aspect ratio particles comprise at least one of: aluminum, gold, silver, copper, nickel, titanium, stainless steel, nickel sulfide, cobalt sulfide, manganese sulfide, metal oxides, white mica, black mica, synthetic mica, mica coated with titanium dioxide, metal-coated glass flakes, or colorants.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the suspension mixture comprises at least one of: styrene, methyl methacrylate, styrene acrylonitrile, divinylbenzene, or modified bisphenol A.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the substantially spherical-shaped beads have an average diameter of about 10 μm to about 300 μm.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the material comprises a polymer with structural units derived from styrene.

12 . A resinous composition comprising pigment prepared by the method of claim 1 .

13 . A method of preparing a resinous composition comprising an encapsulated material, comprising:

dispersing high aspect ratio particles in a material to form a suspension mixture, wherein the material comprises a monomer and/or a polymer;

adding the suspension mixture to an aqueous mixture to form an aqueous reaction mixture, wherein the aqueous mixture comprises a suspension agent;

heating and mixing the aqueous reaction mixture to encourage the formation of the substantially spherical-shaped encapsulant beads;

quenching the aqueous reaction mixture after the encapsulant beads are formed;

collecting the encapsulant beads; and

dispersing the encapsulant beads in a matrix to form the resinous composition.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising forming an article from the resinous composition wherein most of the high aspect ratio particles remain encapsulated during the forming of the article.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the matrix comprises an acrylonitrile-styrene-butadiene material, and wherein the material comprises a polymer with structural units derived from styrene.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the matrix comprises polycarbonate.

17 . A method for forming an article comprising molding the resinous composition of claim 13.