Abstract: Foamable aqueous compositions can be foamed and applied to porous substrates to make light-blocking dry opacifying elements. Such compositions have 0.05-15 weight % of porous particles; at least 20 weight % of a binder; at least 0.0001 weight % of additives (including a surfactant); water; and at least 0.001 weight % of an opacifying colorant. Each porous particle includes a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores; a mode particle size of 2-50 ?m; and a porosity of 20-70 volume %. The continuous polymeric phase Tg is >80° C. and has a polymer viscosity of 80-500 centipoises at an ethyl acetate shear rate of 100 sec?1 at a concentration of 20 weight % at 25° C. The dry opacifying element light blocking value is at least 4 and has a luminous reflectance>40% as measured by the Y tristimulus value. The foamed aqueous composition has a foam density of 0.1-0.5 g/cm3.

Abstract: A method for providing a foamed, opacifying element includes providing a foamable aqueous compositions, aerating it to a foam density of 0.1-0.5 g/cm3, applying the foamed aqueous composition to a porous substrate, drying, and densifying the dried layer Such foamable aqueous compositions have 0.05-15 weight % of porous particles; at least 20 weight % of a binder; at least 0.0001 weight % of additives (including a surfactant); water; and at least 0.001 weight % of an opacifying colorant. Each porous particle includes a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores; a mode particle size of 2-50 ?m; and a porosity of 20-70 volume %. The continuous polymeric phase Tg is>80° C. and has a polymer viscosity of 80-500 centipoises at an ethyl acetate shear rate of 100 sec?1 at a concentration of 20 weight % at 25° C.

Abstract: A light-blocking article is designed to be lightweight but effective to block most incident actinic radiation and can be designed into fabrics, curtains, and other materials. Such an article has an opacifying layer that is capable of blocking predetermined electromagnetic radiation. The article contains (a) porous particles comprising a continuous polymeric binder and pores within the continuous polymeric binder, the porous particles having a glass transition temperature of at least 25° C. and a mode particle size of at least 2 ?m and up to and including 50 ?m. The article also contains an opacifying colorant that absorbs the predetermined electromagnetic radiation (such as within 400 nm to 700 nm), in an amount of at least 0.001 weight % based on the total dry weight of the opacifying layer, and a matrix polymer in which the porous particles and opacifying colorant are dispersed.

Abstract: Polymeric porous particles have a continuous organic solid phase and at least two sets of discrete pores that are isolated from each other within the continuous phase and that have different average sizes. One set of discrete pores has a larger average size than another set of discrete pores by at least 50%. At least one set of discrete pores is free of detectably different marker materials. There porous particles can be prepared using evaporative limited coalescence techniques with especially chosen discrete pore stabilizing hydrocolloids to protect the pores during formation and to provide the different average sizes. The resulting porous particles can be incorporated into articles of various types and having various shapes.

Abstract: Composite materials such as composite particles have a solid non-elastomeric continuous phase made of an organic polymer having a glass transition temperature of at least 25° C. Dispersed within this solid non-elastomeric continuous phase are many multi-compartment porous chemically crosslinked elastomeric particles that have a mode particle size of at least 1 ?m and up to and including 10 ?m. The composite particles can be used as toner particles in electrophotographic imaging methods to provide fused toner images and especially stacked fused toner images.

Abstract: A foamable aqueous composition can be used to form foamed, opacifying elements. These compositions have: (a) 0.5 to 20 weight % of porous particles having a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores dispersed therein. The porous particles have a mode particle size of 2 to 50 ?m; (b) at least 20 weight % of a binder material; (c) 0.1 to 30 weight % of additives including dispersants, plasticizers, inorganic or organic pigments and dyes, thickeners, flame retardants, biocides, fungicides, optical brighteners, tinting colorants, metal flakes, and inorganic or organic fillers; (d) water; and (e) at least 0.001 weight % of an opacifying colorant different from (c). The foamable aqueous composition is suitably aerated, disposed on a porous substrate, dried, and crushed on the porous substrate. The method can be used to provide such elements with one or more dry foamed layers.

Abstract: A foamable aqueous composition can be used to form foamed, opacifying elements with one or more dry foamed layers. These compositions generally contain: (a) 0.5 to 20 weight % of porous particles comprising a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores dispersed within the continuous polymeric phase. The porous particles have a mode particle size of 2 to 50 ?m; (b) at least 20 weight % of a binder material; (c) 0.1 to 30 weight % of a combination of various additives including dispersants, plasticizers, inorganic or organic pigments and dyes, flame retardants, biocides, fungicides, optical brighteners, tinting colorants, metal flakes, and inorganic or organic fillers; (d) water; and (e) at least 0.001 weight % of an opacifying colorant different from (c). The foamable aqueous composition is suitably aerated, disposed on a porous substrate, dried, and crushed on the porous substrate to form a foamed, opacifying element.

Abstract: Foamable aqueous compositions can be used to form light-blocking and light-colored foamed, opacifying elements with one or more dry foamed layers. The compositions contain: (a) 0.05 to 20 weight % of porous particles comprising a continuous polymeric phase and a first set of discrete pores, the porous particles having a mode particle size of 2 to 50 ?m; (b) at least 20 weight % of a binder material (that can be curable); (c) 0.1 to 30 weight % of one or more additives including dispersants, plasticizers, inorganic or organic pigments or dyes, thickeners, flame retardants, biocides, fungicides, optical brighteners, tinting colorants, metal flakes, and inorganic or organic fillers; (d) water; and (e) at least 0.001 weight % of an opacifying colorant different from (c), which opacifying colorant absorbs electromagnetic radiation. The foamable aqueous composition can be aerated, disposed on a porous substrate, dried, and crushed on that porous substrate.

Abstract: Porous organic polymeric films having multiple discrete cavities can be prepared by applying a water-in-oil emulsion that includes a cavity stabilizing hydrocolloid on the inner walls of the multiple discrete cavities to a substrate. The multiple discrete cavities can also include organic catalytic materials for various catalytic reactions, markers materials for security applications, or the multiple discrete cavities can be used to increase opacity, hydrophobicity, or other desirable properties compared to nonporous organic polymeric films composed of the composition and dry thickness. Water and oil from the applied water-in-oil emulsion can be removed by evaporation in a suitable process, and the applied porous organic polymeric film can be provided as a uniform material or in a patternwise fashion.

Abstract: Polymeric porous particles have a continuous organic solid phase and at least two sets of discrete pores that are isolated from each other within the continuous phase and that have different average sizes. One set of discrete pores has a larger average size than another set of discrete pores by at least 50%. At least one set of discrete pores is free of detectably different marker materials. There porous particles can be prepared using evaporative limited coalescence techniques with especially chosen discrete pore stabilizing hydrocolloids to protect the pores during formation and to provide the different average sizes. The resulting porous particles can be incorporated into articles of various types and having various shapes.

Abstract: Polymeric porous particles have a continuous solid phase and at least two sets of discrete pores that are isolated from each other within the continuous phase and that have different average sizes. One set of discrete pores has a larger average size than another set of discrete pores by at least 50%. At least one set of discrete pores is free of detectably different marker materials. There porous particles can be prepared using evaporative limited coalescence techniques with especially chosen discrete pore stabilizing hydrocolloids to protect the pores during formation and to provide the different average sizes.

Abstract: Crosslinked organic porous particles are non-swellable in propyl acetate and have a crosslinked organic solid phase and discrete pores dispersed within the crosslinked organic solid phase, which discrete pores are isolated from each other. The discrete pores have an average size greater than or equal to 0.1 ?m and the crosslinked organic porous particles have a mode particle size of at least 3 ?m and up to and including 100 ?m. The discrete pores can contain a marker material.

Abstract: An indicator composition can be used to detect various environmental conditions stimuli such as in sterilization or storage processes. This indicator composition has a) a first polymeric particle comprising a solid continuous polymeric phase and a first reactant, the first polymeric particle having a mode particle size equal to or less than 50 ?m; and b) a second reactant outside of the first polymeric particle, which second reactant is capable of reacting with the first reactant when exposed to a chosen environmental condition stimulus. The indicator composition can be used by exposing it to the environmental condition stimulus for a sufficient time to cause a detectable change in the indicator composition such as a detectable color change.

Abstract: An indicator composition can be exposed to various environmental conditions stimuli such as in sterilization or storage processes. This indicator composition has a) a first polymeric particle comprising a solid continuous polymeric phase and a first reactant, the first polymeric particle having a mode particle size equal to or less than 50 ?m; and b) a second reactant outside of the first polymeric particle, which second reactant is capable of reacting with the first reactant when exposed to a chosen environmental condition stimulus. The indicator composition can be used by exposing it to the environmental condition stimulus for a sufficient time to cause a detectable change in the indicator composition such as a detectable color change.

Abstract: Porous organic polymeric films having multiple discrete cavities can be prepared using a water-in-oil emulsion that includes a cavity stabilizing hydrocolloid on the inner walls of the multiple discrete cavities. The multiple discrete cavities can also include organic catalytic materials for various catalytic reactions, markers materials for security applications, or the multiple discrete cavities can be used to increase opacity, hydrophobicity, or other desirable properties compared to nonporous organic polymeric films composed of the composition and dry thickness.

Abstract: Composite materials such as composite particles have a solid non-elastomeric continuous phase made of an organic polymer having a glass transition temperature of at least 25° C. Dispersed within this solid non-elastomeric continuous phase are many multi-compartment porous chemically crosslinked elastomeric particles that have a mode particle size of at least 1 ?m and up to and including 10 ?m. The composite particles can be used as toner particles in electrophotographic imaging methods to provide fused toner images and especially stacked fused toner images.

Abstract: Composite materials such as composite particles have a solid non-elastomeric continuous phase made of an organic polymer having a glass transition temperature of at least 25° C. Dispersed within this solid non-elastomeric continuous phase are many multi-compartment porous chemically crosslinked elastomeric particles that have a mode particle size of at least 1 ?m and up to and including 10 ?m. The composite particles can be used as toner particles in electrophotographic imaging methods to provide fused toner images and especially stacked fused toner images.

Abstract: A method of making a high density organic polymeric particle, suitable for use in milling, includes the steps of: providing an oil phase including a high density metal, a metal modifying agent, a cross-linkable organic monomer mixture, and an oil soluble polymerization initiator; admixing the oil phase under high shear conditions in an aqueous medium to produce droplets of the oil phase in the aqueous medium; and adding a hydrocolloid to the aqueous medium containing the droplets of the oil phase. The method further includes polymerizing the droplets of the oil phase to produce high density organic polymeric particles comprising a cross-linked polymer host matrix and a high density metal wherein the high density metal is within the interior of the cross-linked polymer host matrix.

Abstract: A light-blocking article is designed to be lightweight but effective to block most incident actinic radiation and can be designed into fabrics, curtains, and other materials. Such an article has an opacifying layer that is capable of blocking predetermined electromagnetic radiation. The article contains (a) porous particles comprising a continuous polymeric binder and pores within the continuous polymeric binder, the porous particles having a glass transition temperature of at least 25° C. and a mode particle size of at least 2 ?m and up to and including 50 ?m. The article also contains an opacifying colorant that absorbs the predetermined electromagnetic radiation (such as within 400 nm to 700 nm), in an amount of at least 0.001 weight % based on the total dry weight of the opacifying layer, and a matrix polymer in which the porous particles and opacifying colorant are dispersed.

Abstract: Semi-permeable particle can be used to facilitate chemical reactions such as catalytic reactions. The semi-permeable particles are permeable to molecules having a molar mass of 1000 Daltons or less and have a mode particle size of at least 1 ?m. The semi-permeable particles have multiple discrete cavities containing an aqueous solution or suspension of an organic catalytic material. The semi-permeable particles are also impermeable to the organic catalytic materials so they are retained within the multiple discrete cavities, and the semi-permeable particles can be reused multiple times for the same or different chemical reaction.