Container for separately containing reactive materials and method of forming same

Abstract

An enclosed container for separately containing at least two reactive materials is provided. The container includes (a) a film arranged to form a first elongated compartment and a second elongated compartment, wherein the film comprises polypropylene and/or polyethylene; (b) a first reactive material contained in the first elongated compartment; and (c) a second reactive material contained in the second elongated compartment. The first reactive material is not in contact with the second reactive material. The first and second reactive materials are reactants in a chemical reaction.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A container for separately containing at least two reactive materials, comprising: 
 (a) a film arranged to form a first elongated compartment and a second elongated compartment, wherein the film comprises polypropylene and/or polyethylene;    (b) a first reactive material contained in the first elongated compartment; and    (c) a second reactive material contained in the second elongated compartment, 
 wherein the first reactive material is not in contact with the second reactive material, and wherein the first and second reactive materials are reactants in a chemical reaction.  
   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second elongated compartments traverses substantially the length of the container.  
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the film comprises biaxially-oriented polypropylene.  
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the film is formed from a first layer comprising polypropylene or polyethylene, a second layer comprising polyester, and a third layer comprising polypropylene or polyethylene.  
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4 , wherein the first and third layers comprise biaxially-oriented polypropylene.  
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 4 , wherein the first layer is disposed above the second layer, and the second layer is disposed above the third layer.  
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 6 , wherein the first layer is disposed on the second layer, and the second layer is disposed on the third layer.  
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second reactive materials comprise a resin component and a hardener component, respectively.  
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 8 , wherein the resin component comprises a reactive unsaturated polyester resin and the hardener component comprises benzoyl peroxide and/or methyl ethyl ketone peroxide.  
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second reactive material comprises a filler selected from the group consisting of limestone, dolomite and sandstone.  
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second elongated compartments are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container.  
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second elongated compartments have a substantially constant cross-sectional profile along the length of the container.  
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the volume of the first elongated compartment is greater than the volume of the second elongated compartment.  
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the second elongated compartment is formed within the first elongated compartment.  
     
     
         15 . Method of forming a container for separately containing at least two reactive materials, comprising: 
 (a) providing a film comprising polypropylene and/or polyethylene;    (b) arranging the film to form a first elongated compartment and a second elongated compartment;    (c) heating a first portion of the film which overlaps a second portion of the film at a temperature effective to fuse the first and second portions and to maintain the arrangement of the first and second elongated compartments; and    (d) at least partially filling the first compartment with a first reactive material and the second compartment with a second reactive material, 
 wherein the first reactive material is not in contact with the second reactive material, and wherein the first and second reactive materials are reactants in a chemical reaction.  
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein each of the first and second elongated compartments traverses substantially the length of the container.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the film comprises biaxially-oriented polypropylene.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the film is formed from a first layer comprising polypropylene or polyethylene, a second layer comprising polyester, and a third layer comprising polypropylene or polyethylene.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first and third layers comprise biaxially-oriented polypropylene.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first layer is disposed above the second layer, and the second layer is disposed above the third layer.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the first layer is disposed on the second layer, and the second layer is disposed on the third layer.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second reactive materials comprise a resin component and a hardener component, respectively.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the resin component comprises a reactive unsaturated polyester resin and the hardener component comprises benzoyl peroxide and/or methyl ethyl ketone peroxide.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first and/or second reactive material comprises a filler selected from the group consisting of limestone, dolomite and sandstone.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second elongated compartments are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second elongated compartments have a substantially constant cross-sectional profile along the length of the container.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the volume of the first elongated compartment is greater than the volume of the second elongated compartment.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the second elongated compartment is formed within the first elongated compartment.