Chain-reactive heat-generating microcapsules

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11053422-B2
Application number	US-201715459573-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2017
Priority date	Mar 15, 2017
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

A chain-reactive, heat-generating microcapsule comprises a first compartment including a first component and a second compartment including a second component. An isolating structure separates the first and second compartments. The isolating structure may rupture when heated above a normal ambient temperature and/or in response to a compressive force. The first component reacts with the second component to produce heat. The microcapsule may further incorporate a blowing agent that responds to heating. In some embodiments, a core within the first compartment comprises a blowing agent material that responds to the heat produced when the first and second components react. The microcapsules can be incorporated into a material comprising a heat-curable resin precursor such that heat generated by the microcapsules can be used to cure the resin precursor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A microcapsule, comprising:
a first compartment including a first component;
a second compartment including a second component; and
a heat activated isolating structure separating the first and second compartments, wherein the isolating structure comprises a material with a melting point of 60° C. to 80° C.

2. The microcapsule of claim 1 , wherein the microcapsule is a shell-in-shell microcapsule and the isolating structure is an inner shell surrounding the first compartment.

3. The microcapsule of claim 2 , further comprising:
a core within the inner shell, wherein the core comprises a blowing agent.

4. The microcapsule of claim 3 , wherein the blowing agent is a chemical blowing agent.

5. The microcapsule of claim 1 , wherein the first component is a metal and the second component is an oxidizer.

6. The microcapsule of claim 1 , wherein the isolating structure is a polymeric material.

7. The microcapsule of claim 1 , wherein the isolating structure comprises polycaprolactone.

8. The microcapsule of claim 1 , wherein the isolating structure ruptures in response to compressive forces.

9. A microcapsule, comprising:
an outer shell;
a first compartment within the outer shell including a first component, the first component comprising iron;
a second compartment within the outer shell including a second component;
a compressive force activated isolating structure within the outer shell separating the first and second compartments; and
a third compartment surrounded by the first compartment, the third compartment comprising a blowing agent.

10. The microcapsule of claim 9 , wherein the blowing agent is a chemical blowing agent.

11. The microcapsule of claim 9 , wherein the first component is a metal and the second component is an oxidizer.

12. The microcapsule of claim 9 , wherein the blowing agent is a liquid.

13. The microcapsule of claim 9 , wherein the blowing agent comprises a nitrogen containing compound.

14. A microcapsule, comprising:
a first compartment including a first component mixed with a catalyst, wherein the first component is a metal;
a second compartment including a second component;
a heat activated isolating structure separating the first and second compartments; and
a core within the first compartment, the core comprising a chemical blowing agent, the chemical blowing agent comprising a nitrogen containing compound.

15. The microcapsule of claim 14 , wherein the second component is an oxidizer.

16. The microcapsule of claim 15 , wherein the second component is hydrogen peroxide.

17. The microcapsule of claim 9 , wherein the isolating structure is a polymeric material.

18. The microcapsule of claim 9 , further comprising a coating on the outer shell.

19. The microcapsule of claim 14 , wherein the isolating structure has a material with a melting point of 60° C. to 80° C.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Campbell Eric J
• Czaplewski Sarah K
• Kuczynski Joseph
• Tofil Timothy J

Classifications

• B23B5/16

  for bevelling, chamfering, or deburring the ends of bars or tubes · CPC title

• C09K5/18 Primary

  Non-reversible chemical reactions · CPC title

• C09K8/588

  characterised by the use of specific polymers {(polymeric surfactants C09K8/584)} · CPC title