Water insoluble polymeric web structures and filaments containing encapsulated components

Abstract

Abstract The present disclosure is directed to formation of selfsupporting, three dimensional, water-insoluble, polymeric web structures containing encapsulated components. The webs are composed of randomly associated joined monofilaments of waterinsoluble polymers, said monofilaments ranging in average diameter from about 1 to 10 microns, usually from about 2 to 7 microns, on/or in which are located encapsulated components, e.g., coloring agents, perfumes, or other scents, e.g. insect sex attractants, agricultural chemicals, insecticides, pesticides, etc. Any water-insoluble web-forming polymer, including compatible polymer mixtures, can be used provided that said polymers are capable of having a self-supporting web structure, the randomly associated individual monofilaments of which are self-supporting when spanning a gap of at least 1 inch. The webforming polymer solutions or dispersions can be dispensed from various types of dispensing systems and equipment, e.g., from spray guns, portable aerosol cans, etc., to provide a novel and advantageous way of dispensing agrictultural treating agents or other encapsulated materials onto plants or other desired repositories or locations without interfering therewith, viz., with plant growth or metabolic processes thereof. cesses thereof. According to a preferred embodiment, the disclosure is also directed to aerosolizable formulations comprised of the polymer (or polymers) forming the web structure, a solvent (or mixture of solvents) used to dissolve the polymer, a propellent (or mixture of propellents) to propel the polymer solution from the aerosol dispensing device, and the encapsulated material which becomes imbedded in or adherent to the polymeric filaments upon formation of the web. Other optional ingredients, e.g., a plasticizer(s) can be included in the aerosolizable formulations to impart increased tackiness to the web over extended time periods.

Inventors

• 👤 T Maierson

Bibliographic Details