Moisture-responsive films

Abstract

A moisture-responsive film can include a complexing substrate and an iodine layer applied to the complexing substrate to form the moisture-responsive film. The moisture-responsive film can include a test area formed on a testing surface of the moisture-responsive film.

1 . A system for detecting a moisture-related skin condition, the system comprising a complexing substrate and an iodine layer disposed thereon, the iodine layer comprising a designated test area for producing visualizable coloration in response to contact with a skin surface and a designated calibration area for producing one or more calibration marks for comparison against the coloration in the designated test area to provide a visual identification of moisture on the skin surface of a user. 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising instructions for directing the user to apply the moisture-responsive film to the skin surface for a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions direct the user to apply water to the designated calibration area. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions direct the user to apply anhydrous ethanol to the designated calibration area. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a skin drying material. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein skin drying material comprises a water-absorbent fabric, a paper-based towel, a disposable towelette including a drying solvent, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein instructions further direct the user to apply the skin drying material for a predetermined period of time prior to applying the moisture-responsive film to the skin surface. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined period of time is in a range from 1 second to 300 seconds. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more water standards for application to the designated calibration area to prepare one or more calibration marks. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein designated test area comprises a plurality of test areas. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the iodine layer is disposed on a first side of the complexing substrate, and the moisture-responsive film further comprises a backing layer positioned on a second side of the complexing substrate opposite the first side. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the complexing substrate comprises paper, fabric, a polymeric material, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the complexing substrate comprises a complexing material that forms a visualizable complex in presence of iodine and water. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the complexing material comprises a starch. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more calibration marks is configured to have coloration that is weaker or stronger than the coloration generated in the test area. 
     
     
         16 . A method of identifying features of a surface based on moisture content at the surface, the method comprising:
 contacting the surface to a designated test area of a moisture-responsive film for a predetermined period of time to produce visualizable coloration in a designated test area of the film; and   applying a designated calibration area comparing the coloration in the designated test area against a calibration mark in to provide a visual identification of moisture on the skin surface of a user.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising applying a material, different from the skin surface, to the designated calibration area for producing one or more calibration marks for comparison against the coloration in the designated test area 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising visually inspecting the exposed test area upon separating the surface from the moisture-responsive film. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising comparing a color of portions of the exposed test area with colors of the designated calibration area to determine the moisture content at portions of the surface corresponding to the portions of the exposed test area.