SCAVENGING OXYGEN
A container comprises: (i) a hydrogen generating means comprising an active material arranged to generate molecular hydrogen on reaction with moisture; (ii) a catalyst capable of catalyzing a reaction between molecular hydrogen and molecular oxygen; and (iii) a barrier means for restricting passage of small organic molecules from a product contained, in use, in the container, to the catalyst associated with a closure or body wall of the container.
1 . A closure for a container, the closure comprising:
(i) a hydrogen-generating means comprising an active material arranged to generate molecular hydrogen on reaction with moisture:
(ii) a catalyst capable of catalyzing a reaction between molecular hydrogen and molecular oxygen:
(iii) a barrier means for restricting passage of organic molecules to the catalyst:
wherein said closure has a toluene production value (TPV) of less than 0.00800 mg after 24 hours; and/or wherein said closure has a toluene production value (TPV) of less than 0.04000 mg after 72 hours.
2 . A container comprising:
(i) a hydrogen generating means comprising an active material arranged to generate molecular hydrogen on reaction with moisture:
(ii) a catalyst capable of catalyzing a reaction between molecular hydrogen and molecular oxygen:
(iii) a barrier means for restricting passage of organic molecules from a product contained, in use, in the container, to the catalyst.
3 . A container according to claim 1 , wherein the TPV per unit area (herein the “TPV-UA”) of a or said closure is less 0.00200 mg/cm 2 after 24 hours; and/or the TPV per unit area of said closure is less than 0.01000 mg/cm 2 after 72 hours, wherein:
TPV
-
UA
=
TPV
in
mg
the
surface
area
(
in
cm
2
)
of
a
catalyst
-
containing
layer
of
the
closure
which
has
the
greatest
surface
area
.
4 . (canceled)
5 . (canceled)
6 . (canceled)
7 . (canceled)
8 . A closure according to claim 1 , wherein said barrier material of said barrier means has a Hildebrand Solubility Parameter (HSP) of less than 15.2 MPa 1/2 .
9 . A closure according to claim 1 , wherein said barrier means comprises a substantially continuous layer of barrier material, wherein said layer has a thickness of less than 1 mm.
10 . A closure according to claim 1 , wherein said barrier means comprises barrier material which surrounds individual particles of catalyst so that a mass of composite particles is defined.
11 . A closure container according to claim 9 , wherein said layer is in a lamina form and said layer has a main area which is defined by a surface of the layer which has the greatest area, wherein said main area has an area of at least 2 cm 2 .
12 . (canceled)
13 . A closure according to claim 9 , wherein said layer comprises a fluorinated polymer.
14 . A closure according to claim 1 , wherein said barrier means comprises a barrier material which surrounds individual particles of catalyst so that a mass of composite particles is defined, each of which composite particles comprises catalyst surrounded by said barrier material
15 . A closure according to claim 9 , wherein said barrier material and/or said layer comprises a fluorinated polymer or a silicone-based material.
16 . A closure according to claim 1 , wherein said catalyst is embedded in a microporous material.
17 . A closure according to claim 16 , wherein said porous material has a zeolithic structure.
18 . (canceled)
19 . A closure according to claim 1 , wherein said barrier means comprises a barrier material which is associated with a polymeric material (XX), wherein said barrier material has a HSP of less than 16.0 MPa 1/2 , and said polymeric material (XX) has a HSP which is higher than the HSP of the barrier material.
20 . (canceled)
21 . A closure container according to claim 19 , wherein a combination comprising said barrier material and associated catalyst is dispersed within polymeric material (XX); or
the barrier means comprises a layer of said barrier material and said layer defines an enclosure around catalyst particles, wherein the combination of barrier material and catalyst is dispersed within polymeric material (XX); or
wherein porous material and associated catalyst is dispersed within polymeric material (XX); or
wherein barrier material overlies said polymeric material (XX).
22 . A closure according to claim 19 , wherein polymeric material (XX) is selected from HDPE, PP, LLDPE, LDPE, PS, PET, EVA, SEBS, Nylon, thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) and olefinic block copolymers (OBCs).
23 . A closure according to claim 16 , wherein said barrier means comprises said microporous material in which said catalyst is embedded and said microporous material and associated catalyst are dispersed within a polymeric material (XX), wherein polymeric material (XX) is a polyolefin polymer.
24 . (canceled)
25 . (canceled)
26 . (canceled)
27 . A closure according to claim 1 , wherein: said catalyst is selected to catalyse a reaction between molecular hydrogen and molecular oxygen, to produce water, wherein said catalyst selected from palladium and platinum;
said hydrogen generating means includes a matrix material with which said active material is associated, wherein the matrix includes 1-60 wt % of active material; wherein said active material comprises a metal and/or a hydride; and
wherein said closure includes a control means for controlling the passage of moisture to said active material arranged to generate molecular hydrogen, wherein at least part of said control means is provided in a first layer and a second layer comprises said hydrogen generating means.
28 . (canceled)
29 . (canceled)
30 . A container according to claim 2 , wherein a container body of said container includes walls defined by polyester and catalyst is dispersed within the polyester which comprises PET made using an antimony-based catalyst.
31 . A closure for a container, the closure comprising:
(i) a hydrogen generating means comprising an active material arranged to generate molecular hydrogen on reaction with moisture;
(ii) a catalyst capable of catalyzing a reaction between molecular hydrogen and molecular oxygen;
(iii) a barrier means for restricting passage of organic molecules to the catalyst;
wherein, said closure includes a barrier means comprising:
(AA) a barrier material which has a Hildebrand Solubility Parameter (HSP) of less than 16.0 MPa 1/2 ; and/or
(BB) a barrier material which is a porous material, for example a which includes pores with free diameters of less than 2 nm; and/or
(CC) a barrier material which surrounds individual particles of catalyst so that a mass of composite particles is defined, wherein each of said composite particles comprises catalyst surrounded by said barrier material.
32 . A container according to claim 2 , said container including a container body which comprises:
(i) a catalyst capable of catalyzing a reaction between molecular hydrogen and molecular oxygen;
(ii) a barrier means for restricting passage of organic molecules from a product contained, in use, in the container, to the catalyst;
wherein said container body includes said barrier means comprising:
(AA) a barrier material which has a Hildebrand Solubility Parameter (HSP) of less than 16.0 MPal 1/2 ; and/or
(BB) a barrier material which is a microporous material; and/or
(CC) a barrier material which surrounds individual particles of catalyst so that a mass of composite particles is defined, wherein each of said composite particles comprises catalyst surrounded by said barrier material.
33 . (canceled)
34 . (canceled)
35 . (canceled)