Material Release System

Abstract

A material encapsulation and release system having a first zone ( 1 ) containing a first amount of material ( 2 ) bound by a first capsule wall ( 3 ) and, if desired, a second zone ( 4 ) containing a second amount of material ( 5 ) bound by a second capsule wall ( 6 ), each capsule wall responsive to similar or dissimilar activation means ( 7 ) to release the first amount of material ( 2 ) in the first zone ( 1 ) and the second amount of material ( 5 ) in the second zone ( 4 ).

1 - 130 . (canceled) 
     
     
         131 . A material release system, comprising:
 an amount of material;   a capsule having a capsule wall which bounds said amount of material, wherein said capsule releases said amount of material in response to an activation element;   a liquid carrier having a pH, said liquid carrier including a plurality of said capsules which do not degrade in said liquid carrier; and   an amount of indicator material mixed into said liquid carrier, wherein release of said amount of material in response to an activation element alters said pH of said liquid carrier, and wherein said amount of indicator material mixed into said liquid carrier changes color in response to altered said pH.   
     
     
         132 . A material release system as described in  claim 131 , wherein said activation element comprises an activation material applied to said capsule. 
     
     
         133 . A material release system as described in  claim 131 , wherein said activation element comprises an amount of force applied to said capsule. 
     
     
         134 . A material release system as described in  claim 131 , wherein said amount of material comprises a base or an acid. 
     
     
         135 . A material release system as described in  claim 134 , wherein said base is selected from the group consisting of: sodium acetate, sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium borate, sodium citrate, sodium folate, sodium hydroxide, sodium phosphate dibasic, sodium phosphate tribasic, sodium polymetaphosphate, sodium pyrophosphate, sodium folate, sodium glycerophosphate, sodium ortho silicate, sodium meta silicate, sodium hypochlorite, sodium metaborate, sodium perborate, sodium tartrate, trisodium phosphate, potassium salts thereof, lithium salts thereof, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         136 . A material release system as described in  claim 134 , wherein said acid is selected from the group consisting of: methanoic acid, ethanoic acid, propanoic acid, butanoic acid, valeric acid, caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, cyclohexanecarboxylic acid, phenylacetic acid, benzoic acid, oxalic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, pimelic acid, suberic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid, hemimellitic acid, trimellitic acid, trimesic acid, succinic anhydride, maleic anhydride, phthalic anhydride, glycolic acid, lactic acid, hydroxybutyric acid, mandelic acid, glyceric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         137 . A material release system as described in  claim 134 , wherein said capsule comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol/ethylene copolymer, polyvinyl pyrolidone, polyvinyl pyrrolidone/acetate copolymer, polyvinyl methyl ether, polyvinyl methyl ether/maleic anhydride copolymer, polyvinyl methyl ether/maleic acid half ester copolymer, polyacrylamide, poly (acrylamide/acrylic acid) copolymer, polyacrylic acid, polyallylamine, poly(4-ammonium styrenesulfonic acid), poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), poly(ethylene/acrylic acid) copolymer, poly(ethylene/1,2-butylene)diol, polyethylene glycol mw>6000, poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether, poly(ethylene glycol) dimethyl ether, poly(ethylene glycol/propylene glycol) monobutyl ether, poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline), poly(hexamethylene adipate) diol, poly(hexamethylene carbonate) diol, poly(neopentyl adipate), poly(neopentyl sebacate), poly(polytetrahydrofuran carbonate) diol, poly(sodium 4-styrene sulfonate), poly styrene sulfonic acid, polyvinyl phosphonic acid, poly(4-vinylpyridine), tapioca dextrin, maize dextrin, waxy dextrin, starch, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulos, hydroxy ethyl cellulose, isopropyl cellulose, hydroxy isopropyl cellulose, agar-agar, carrageenan, carboxymethylcellulose, polyasparatate, acacia, gum tragacanth, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         138 . A material release system as described in  claim 134 , wherein said base or said acid comprises a particle. 
     
     
         139 . A material release system as described in  claim 138 , wherein said particle has a size between about 10 microns and 300 microns. 
     
     
         140 . A material release system as described in  claim 139 , wherein said particle has a size selected from the group consisting of: between about 10 microns and about 30 microns, between about 20 microns and about 40 microns, between about 30 microns and about 50 microns, between about 40 microns and about 60 microns, between about 50 microns and about 70 microns, between about 60 microns and about 80 microns, between about 70 microns and about 90 microns, between about 80 microns and about 100 microns, between about 90 microns and about 110 microns, between about 100 microns and about 120 microns, between about 110 microns to about 130 microns, between about 120 microns to about 140 microns, between about 130 microns and about 150 microns, between about 140 microns to about 160 microns, between about 150 microns and about 170 microns, between about 160 microns to about 180 microns, between about 170 microns to about 190 microns, between about 180 microns to about 200 microns, between about 190 microns and about 210 microns, between about 200 microns and about 220 microns, between about 210 microns and about 230 microns, between about 220 microns and about 240 microns, between about 230 microns and about 250 microns, between about 240 microns to about 260 microns, between about 250 microns to about 270 microns, between about 260 microns and about 280 microns, between about 270 microns to about 290 microns, between about 280 microns and about 300 microns. 
     
     
         141 . A material release system as described in  claim 139 , wherein said capsule wall which bounds said amount of material comprises a coat on said particle. 
     
     
         142 . A material release system as described in  claim 141 , wherein said coat has a thickness of between about 2 microns and about 45 microns. 
     
     
         143 . A material release system as described in  claim 142 , wherein said coat has a thickness selected from the group consisting of: between about 2 microns to about 6 microns, between about 4 microns to about 8 microns, between about 6 microns to about 10 microns, between about 8 microns and about 12 microns, between about 10 microns and about 14 microns, between about 12 microns and about 16 microns, between about 14 microns and about 18 microns, between about 16 microns and about 20 microns, between about 18 microns to about 22 microns, between about 20 microns to about 24 microns, between about 22 microns to about 26 microns, between about 24 microns and about 28 microns, between about 26 microns and about 30 microns, between about 28 microns and about 32 microns, between about 30 microns and about 34 microns, between about 32 microns and about 36 microns, between about 34 microns and about 38 microns, between about 36 microns and about 40 microns, between about 38 microns and about 42 microns, between about 40 microns and about 44 microns, and about 42 microns and about 46 microns. 
     
     
         144 . A material release system as described in  claim 134 , wherein said capsule has a size of between about 10 microns and about 300 microns. 
     
     
         145 . A material release system as described in  claim 144 , wherein said capsule has a size selected from the group consisting of: between about 15 microns to about 30 microns, between about 20 microns to about 40 microns, between about 30 microns to about 50 microns, between about 40 microns to about 60 microns, between about 500 microns to about 70 microns, between about 60 microns to about 80 microns, between about 70 microns to about 90 microns, between about 80 microns to about 100 microns, between about 90 microns to about 110 microns, between about 100 microns to about 120 microns, between about 110 microns to about 130 microns, between about 120 microns to about 140 microns, between about 130 microns to about 150 microns, between about 140 microns to about 160 microns, between about 150 microns to about 170 microns, between about 160 microns to about 180 microns, between about 170 microns to about 190 microns, between about 180 microns to about 200 microns, between about 190 microns to about 210 microns, between about 200 microns to about 220 microns, between about 210 microns to about 230 microns, between about 220 microns to about 240 microns, between about 230 microns to about 250 microns, between about 240 microns to about 260 microns, between about 250 microns to about 270 microns, between about 260 microns to about 280 microns, between about 270 microns to about 290 microns, and between about 280 microns to about 300 microns 
     
     
         146 . A material release system as described in  claim 134 , wherein said amount of indicator material changes color in response to an increase in pH of said carrier. 
     
     
         147 . A material release system as described in  claim 134 , wherein said amount of indicator material changes color in response to a decrease in pH of said carrier. 
     
     
         148 . A material release system as described in  claim 131 , wherein said carrier has an initial pH of between 4-8. 
     
     
         149 . A material release system as described in  claim 148 , wherein said carrier has an initial pH of between about 5.0 and about 7.0. 
     
     
         150 . A material release system as described in  claim 149 , wherein said carrier has an initial pH of between 6.0-7.5. 
     
     
         151 . A material release system as described in  claim 149 , wherein said amount of indicator is selected from the group consisting of: brilliant yellow, bromthylmol blue, m-nitrophenol, neutral red, phenophtalein. 
     
     
         152 . A material release system as described in  claim 151 , wherein said carrier has a final pH of between about 7.0 and about 9.4. 
     
     
         153 . A material release system as described in  claim 152 , wherein said carrier has a final pH of between 7.0 and 8.0. 
     
     
         154 . A material release system as described in  claim 146 , wherein said carrier has an initial pH of greater than about 7.0 and a final pH of greater than about 7.0. 
     
     
         155 . A material release system as described in  claim 134 , wherein said carrier has an initial pH of less or equal to 7.0 and a final pH of greater than 7.0. 
     
     
         156 . A material release system as described in  claim 134 , wherein said carrier has an initial pH of greater than or equal to 7.0 and a final pH of less than 6.5 
     
     
         157 . A material release system as described in  claim 134 , wherein said carrier has an initial pH of less than or equal to 7.0 and a final pH of greater than 7.5. 
     
     
         158 . A material release system as described in  claim 154 , wherein said amount of indicator is selected from the group consisting of: alizarin red S, alkali blue, clayton yellow, cresol red, curcumin, m-cresol purple, o-cresophthalein, phenol violet, p-naphtholbenzein, thymol violet, thymolphtalein, titan yellow. 
     
     
         159 . A material release system as described in  claim 146 , wherein said carrier has an initial pH of about 7.0 or less and a final pH of about 7.0 or less. 
     
     
         160 . A material release system as described in  claim 159 , wherein said amount of indicator is selected from the group consisting of: alzarin red, bromcresol green, bromcresol purple, bromcresol blue, congo red, crystal violet, dimethyl yellow, ethyl violet, malachite green, m-cresol purple, ntanil yellow, methyl orange, methyl purple, methyl red, methyl violet, phenol red, resorcin blue, and thymol blue. 
     
     
         161 . A material release system as described in  claim 131 , wherein said capsule comprises a first capsule wall enclosed by a second capsule wall, said amount of material disposed between said first and second capsule wall. 
     
     
         162 . A material release system as described in  claim 131 , wherein said capsule comprises a first capsule wall enclosed by a second capsule wall, said material bound by said first capsule wall, said indicator material disposed between said first capsule wall and said second capsule wall. 
     
     
         163 . A material release system as described in  claim 162 , wherein said activation element acts on said second capsule wall to release said indicator material, said activation element acts upon said first capsule wall to release said amount of material. 
     
     
         164 . A material release system as described in  claim 163 , wherein said activation element comprises a first activation element and a second activation element, said second activation element acts on said second capsule wall to release said indicator material, said second activation element comprising an amount of force applied to said second capsule wall, said first activation element acts upon said first capsule wall to release said amount of material, said first activation element comprises an activation material. 
     
     
         165 . A material release system as described in  claim 163 , wherein said activation element comprises a first activation element and a second activation element, said second activation element acts on said second capsule wall to release said indicator material, said second activation element comprises an activation material applied to said second capsule wall, said first activation element acts upon said first capsule wall to release said amount of material, said first activation element comprises an amount of force. 
     
     
         166 . A material release system as described in  claim 131 , wherein said carrier comprises a composition suitable as a hand wash agent. 
     
     
         167 . A material release system, comprising:
 an amount of material comprising at least one of a base and an acid;   a capsule having a capsule wall which bounds said amount of material, wherein said capsule releases said amount of material in response to an activation element;   a liquid carrier having a pH between 4 and 8, said liquid carrier including a plurality of said capsules which do not degrade in said liquid carrier; and   an amount of indicator material mixed into said liquid carrier, wherein release of said amount of material in response to an activation element alters said pH of said liquid carrier to be between either 4-7 or 7-8, and wherein said amount of indicator material mixed into said liquid carrier changes color in response to altered said pH.