AGENT FOR THE FORMATION OF CHANNELS IN AN ENTRAINED POLYMER, ENTRAINED POLYMER CONTAINING SUCH AN AGENT, PROCESS FOR PRODUCING SUCH AN ENTRAINED POLYMER AND PRODUCT CONTAINING THE SAME
An entrained polymer includes a base polymer, an active agent that is immiscible with the base polymer and reacts with a selected material, and a channeling agent that is a water insoluble polymer, is immiscible with the base polymer, and has an affinity to transmit the selected material through the entrained polymer at a faster rate than in solely the base polymer.
1 .- 49 . (canceled)
50 . A method of producing an entrained polymer, the entrained polymer comprising a base polymer, an active agent that is immiscible with the base polymer and acts on, interacts or reacts with a selected material, and a channeling agent that is immiscible with the base polymer and has an affinity to transmit a selected material through the entrained polymer at a faster rate than in solely the base polymer, wherein the channeling agent is a water insoluble polymer, the method comprising: heating the base polymer above its melting point, to produce a molten state;
blending the active agent and the channeling agent into the base polymer to uniformity, to produce an entrained polymer mixture; and cooling the entrained polymer mixture to solidify.
51 . The method of claim 50 , wherein the entrained polymer results in at least two times lower extractables than a reference entrained polymer having a reference channeling agent in a weight percentage substantially equivalent to that of the channeling agent, wherein the reference channeling agent is selected from the group consisting of a polyethylene glycol, a polyethylene oxide and a combination of a polyethylene glycol and a polyethylene oxide.
52 . The method of claim 50 , wherein the channeling agent has a migration in compliance with at least one member selected from the group consisting of: United States Pharmacopeia Standard 661 regarding physiochemical tests to plastics and heavy metals and nonvolatile residue in polyethylene containers, European Union Regulation No. 10/2011 of Jan. 14, 2011, and Notification No. 20 of the Japanese Ministry of Welfare regarding food packaging and containers.
53 . The method of claim 50 , wherein the channeling agent is a propylene oxide polymerisate-monobutyl ether or a propylene oxide polymerisate.
54 . The method of claim 50 , wherein the channeling agent is a member selected from the group consisting of: an ethylene vinyl acetate, a nylon 6 and a nylon 66.
55 . The method of claim 50 , wherein the active agent is a desiccant or an oxygen absorber.
56 . The method of claim 50 , wherein the base polymer is polypropylene.
57 . The method of claim 50 , wherein the base polymer is polypropylene present in an amount of 24% to 60%, the active agent is molecular sieve present in an amount of 40% to 70%, and the channeling agent is a propylene oxide polymerisate-monobutyl ether present in an amount of 2% to 10%.
58 . A method of producing an entrained polymer, the entrained polymer comprising a base polymer, an active agent that is immiscible with the base polymer and acts on, interacts or reacts with a selected material, and a channeling agent that is immiscible with the base polymer and has an affinity to transmit a selected material through the entrained polymer at a faster rate than in solely the base polymer, wherein the channeling agent is a water insoluble polymer, the method comprising: blending to uniformity the active agent, base polymer, and channeling agent below the melting points thereof; heating the active agent, base polymer, and channeling agent above the melting point of one or more of the base polymer and channeling agent, to produce an entrained polymer mixture in a molten state; and cooling the entrained polymer mixture to solidify.
59 . The method of claim 58 , wherein the entrained polymer results in at least two times lower extractables than a reference entrained polymer having a reference channeling agent in a weight percentage substantially equivalent to that of the channeling agent, wherein the reference channeling agent is selected from the group consisting of a polyethylene glycol, a polyethylene oxide and a combination of a polyethylene glycol and a polyethylene oxide.
60 . The method of claim 58 , wherein the channeling agent has a migration in compliance with at least one member selected from the group consisting of: United States Pharmacopeia Standard 661 regarding physiochemical tests to plastics and heavy metals and nonvolatile residue in polyethylene containers, European Union Regulation No. 10/2011 of Jan. 14, 2011, and Notification No. 20 of the Japanese Ministry of Welfare regarding food packaging and containers.
61 . The method of claim 58 , wherein the channeling agent is a propylene oxide polymerisate-monobutyl ether or a propylene oxide polymerisate.
62 . The method of claim 58 , wherein the channeling agent is a member selected from the group consisting of: an ethylene vinyl acetate, a nylon 6 and a nylon 66.
63 . The method of claim 58 , wherein the active agent is a desiccant or an oxygen absorber.
64 . The method of claim 58 , wherein the base polymer is polypropylene.
65 . The method of claim 58 , wherein the base polymer is polypropylene present in an amount of 24% to 60%, the active agent is molecular sieve present in an amount of 40% to 70%, and the channeling agent is a propylene oxide polymerisate-monobutyl ether present in an amount of 2% to 10%.
66 . A method of producing an entrained polymer, the entrained polymer comprising a base polymer, an active agent that is immiscible with the base polymer and acts on, interacts or reacts with a selected material, and a channeling agent that is immiscible with the base polymer and has an affinity to transmit a selected material through the entrained polymer at a faster rate than in solely the base polymer, wherein the channeling agent is a water insoluble polymer, the method comprising: heating the base polymer above its melting point, to produce a molten state; blending the channeling agent into the base polymer; blending the active agent into the base polymer and the channeling agent to form an entrained polymer mixture; and cooling the entrained polymer mixture to solidify.
67 . The method of claim 66 , wherein the entrained polymer results in at least two times lower extractables than a reference entrained polymer having a reference channeling agent in a weight percentage substantially equivalent to that of the channeling agent, wherein the reference channeling agent is selected from the group consisting of a polyethylene glycol, a polyethylene oxide and a combination of a polyethylene glycol and a polyethylene oxide.
68 . The method of claim 66 , wherein the channeling agent has a migration in compliance with at least one member selected from the group consisting of: United States Pharmacopeia Standard 661 regarding physiochemical tests to plastics and heavy metals and nonvolatile residue in polyethylene containers, European Union Regulation No. 10/2011 of Jan. 14, 2011, and Notification No. 20 of the Japanese Ministry of Welfare regarding food packaging and containers.
69 . The method of claim 66 , wherein the channeling agent is a propylene oxide polymerisate-monobutyl ether or a propylene oxide polymerisate.
70 . The method of claim 66 , wherein the channeling agent is a member selected from the group consisting of: an ethylene vinyl acetate, a nylon 6 and a nylon 66.
71 . The method of claim 66 , wherein the active agent is a desiccant or an oxygen absorber.
72 . The method of claim 66 , wherein the base polymer is polypropylene.
73 . The method of claim 66 , wherein the base polymer is polypropylene present in an amount of 24% to 60%, the active agent is molecular sieve present in an amount of 40% to 70%, and the channeling agent is a propylene oxide polymerisate-monobutyl ether present in an amount of 2% to 10%.
74 . A method of producing an entrained polymer, the entrained polymer comprising a base polymer, an active agent that is immiscible with the base polymer and acts on, interacts or reacts with a selected material, and a channeling agent that is immiscible with the base polymer and has an affinity to transmit a selected material through the entrained polymer at a faster rate than in solely the base polymer, wherein the channeling agent is a water insoluble polymer, the method comprising: blending the channeling agent and base polymer below the melting points thereof; blending the active agent into the base polymer and channeling agent, to uniformity; heating the channeling agent, base polymer and active agent above the melting point of at least one of the channeling agent or base polymer, to produce an entrained polymer mixture in a molten state; and cooling the entrained polymer mixture to solidify.
75 . The method of claim 74 , wherein the entrained polymer results in at least two times lower extractables than a reference entrained polymer having a reference channeling agent in a weight percentage substantially equivalent to that of the channeling agent, wherein the reference channeling agent is selected from the group consisting of a polyethylene glycol, a polyethylene oxide and a combination of a polyethylene glycol and a polyethylene oxide.
76 . The method of claim 74 , wherein the channeling agent has a migration in compliance with at least one member selected from the group consisting of: United States Pharmacopeia Standard 661 regarding physiochemical tests to plastics and heavy metals and nonvolatile residue in polyethylene containers, European Union Regulation No. 10/2011 of Jan. 14, 2011, and Notification No. 20 of the Japanese Ministry of Welfare regarding food packaging and containers.
77 . The method of claim 74 , wherein the channeling agent is a propylene oxide polymerisate-monobutyl ether or a propylene oxide polymerisate.
78 . The method of claim 74 , wherein the base polymer is polypropylene present in an amount of 24% to 60%, the active agent is a desiccant or an oxygen absorber present in an amount of 40% to 70%, and the channeling agent is a propylene oxide polymerisate-monobutyl ether present in an amount of 2% to 10%.
79 . A method of producing an entrained polymer, the entrained polymer comprising a base polymer, an active agent that is immiscible with the base polymer and acts on, interacts or reacts with a selected material, and a channeling agent that is immiscible with the base polymer and has an affinity to transmit a selected material through the entrained polymer at a faster rate than in solely the base polymer, wherein the channeling agent is a water insoluble polymer, the method comprising: blending the channeling agent and base polymer; heating the channeling agent and the base polymer above the melting point of at least one of the channeling agent or the base polymer to produce an entrained polymer mixture in a molten state; cooling the entrained polymer mixture to solidify; and immersing the solid entrained polymer in a solution containing the active agent.