Abstract: An ink composition having an array of encapsulating particles contained within a liquid medium. The encapsulating particles encapsulate one or more pigment particles. The ink composition is prepared and formulated such that the density of the encapsulating particles approximate the density of the liquid medium containing the encapsulating particles such that a neutral buoyancy is achieved. More particularly, in a case where the liquid medium is water, the density of the encapsulating particles ranges from 0.9 g/cc to 1.1 g/cc.
Abstract: A micro-encapsulated pepper-mustard composition which comprises positioning pepper and mustard mixtures within a cluster of surfactant molecules, i.e. micelles, dispersed in water. This micro-encapsulation process involves first forming the micelles in water by exceeding the given critical micelle concentration for either one, two, or three different surfactant types. The active ingredient, pepper and mustard, is then added to this mixture and subsequently emulsified into small liquid drops in order to facilitate swelling of the micelles by way of migration or diffusion of the active ingredient molecules through the water phase and into the micelles. The resulting encapsulated pepper and mustard is effectively stabilized by the surfactant molecules, and the resulting stabilized micro-encapsulated dispersion will not undergo phase separation.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 18, 1999
Date of Patent:
March 18, 2003
Assignee:
Natural Pest FX, Inc.
Inventors:
Thomas M. Strzemiemski, Fortunato J. Micale