Triggerable compositions for two-stage, controlled release of active chemistry

1. A triggerable composition for two-stage, controlled release of a functional active chemical comprising:

a betaine ester or betaine ester derivative of a functional active with at least one hydroxyl group that releases the functional active through a hydrolysis reaction upon contact with an aqueous medium, wherein the betaine ester or betaine ester derivative is configured to undergo the hydrolysis reaction in a basic aqueous medium, a neutral aqueous medium, and an acidic aqueous medium, and wherein the betaine ester or betaine ester derivative is not part of a larger polymer structure and not itself bonded as a functional group to a chain base structure, and

an encapsulation material for encapsulating the betaine ester or betaine ester derivative including a functional active, the encapsulation material triggerable to release the betaine ester or betaine ester derivative upon the occurrence of an environmental stimulus.

2. The triggerable composition of claim 1 wherein said stimulus is selected from the group consisting of a pH change, an enzymatic change, a temperature change, an ion concentration change, and a ligand concentration change.

3. The triggerable composition of claim 1 wherein said stimulus is selected from the group consisting of a pH change, an enzymatic change and a temperature change.

4. The triggerable composition of claim 1 wherein said composition is in a form of particles, microparticles, nanoparticles, fibers, sheet, films or a combination thereof.

5. The triggerable composition of claim 1 , wherein said encapsulation material is triggerable to release a betaine ester or betaine ester derivative upon the occurrence of a pH change.

6. The triggerable composition of claim 1 , wherein said encapsulation material is selected from copolymers of methacrylic acid and methyl methacrylate which are sensitive to basic aqueous solutions, copolymers of dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, and methyl methacrylate which are sensitive to acidic aqueous solutions, and vinylpyrrolidone/vinyl acetate copolymers which are sensitive to neutral aqueous solutions.

7. The triggerable composition of claim 1 , wherein said functional active is selected from the group consisting of a fragrance, an antimicrobial agent, an antioxidant agent, a skin repairing agent, an antifungal agent, a hormone, and a medically active agent.

8. The triggerable composition of claim 7 , wherein said functional active is a fragrance having at least one hydroxyl group, selected from the group consisting of thymol, eugenol, menthol, vanillin or combinations thereof.

9. The triggerable composition of claim 7 , wherein said functional active is a skin repairing agent.

10. The triggerable composition of claim 9 , wherein said skin repairing agent is derived from retinol.

11. An absorbent article including at least one absorbent layer, said absorbent article including the triggerable composition of claim 1 .

12. The absorbent article of claim 11 including a topsheet layer, a backsheet layer, and at least one absorbent core layer, wherein said triggerable composition is included with at least one of said topsheet layer, absorbent core layer and said backsheet layer.

13. The absorbent article of claim 11 further including a carrier layer, wherein said triggerable composition is included with said carrier layer for carrying the triggerable composition within said absorbent article.

14. The absorbent article of claim 11 , wherein said absorbent article is selected from the group consisting of feminine care hygiene articles, adult incontinence articles, baby and child care articles, bandages, medical garments and skin treatment sheets.

15. The triggerable composition of claim 1 being a part of a lotion, cream or medicament.

16. A triggerable composition for two-stage, controlled release of a functional active chemicals comprising:

a betaine ester or betaine ester derivative for release of a functional active contained on the betaine ester or betaine ester derivative, through a hydrolysis reaction upon contact with an aqueous medium, wherein the betaine ester or betaine ester derivative is configured to undergo the hydrolysis reaction in a basic aqueous medium, a neutral aqueous medium, and an acidic aqueous medium, and wherein the betaine ester or betaine ester derivative is not part of a larger polymer structure and not itself bonded as a functional group to a chain base structure, and

an encapsulation material for encapsulating the betaine ester or betaine ester derivative including a functional active, the encapsulation material triggerable to release the betaine ester or betaine ester derivative upon the occurrence of an environmental stimulus, wherein said environmental stimulus is a pH change.

17. The composition of claim 16 wherein said stimulus is a pH change from an acidic to neutral or basic environment, and said encapsulation material is selected from the group consisting of copolymers of methacrylic acid and methyl methacrylate which are sensitive to basic aqueous solutions, and vinylpyrrolidone/vinyl acetate copolymers which are sensitive to neutral aqueous solutions.

18. The composition of claim 16 wherein said stimulus is a pH change from a basic to neutral or acidic environment, and said encapsulation material is selected from the group consisting of copolymers of dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, and methyl methacrylate which are sensitive to acidic aqueous solutions, and vinylpyrrolidone/vinyl acetate copolymers which are sensitive to neutral aqueous solutions.

19. The composition of claim 16 wherein said functional active is a fragrance.

20. The composition of claim 19 wherein said fragrance is selected from thymol, menthol and eugenol.