Method for manufacturing a composite sorber for the removal of h20 consisting of hygroscopic inorganic salts dissolved in a polymeric matrix

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing H 2 O composite sorbers consisting of a polymeric matrix in which hygroscopic inorganic salts are dissolved, to composite sorbers consisting of hygroscopic inorganic salts dissolved in a polymeric matrix and their use for the removal of H 2 O from the housings of devices sensitive to the presence of H 2 O.

1 . A method for manufacturing a composite sorber for removal of H 2 O comprising
 providing a polymeric matrix and a hygroscopic inorganic salt, and   dissolving said hygroscopic inorganic salt inside said polymeric matrix.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , in which said hygroscopic inorganic salt is chosen from alkaline-metal perhalogenates, alkaline earth-metal perhalogenates, alkaline-metal halides, and alkaline earth-metal halides. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , in which said alkaline-metal perhalogenates and alkaline earth-metal perhalogenates are perchlorates. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein providing said polymeric matrix comprises
 forming said polymeric matrix starting from two different polymers, two precursors or a mixture of a polymer and a precursor.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , in which one of said polymers or said polymer precursors acts as cross-linking agent for the polymeric matrix. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 evaporating solvents from a solution comprising a polymer of the polymeric matrix and the dissolved hygroscopic inorganic salt.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , in which said solution comprises a common solvent for the polymer and the hygroscopic inorganic salt. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein dissolving said hygroscopic inorganic salt comprises dissolving said hygroscopic inorganic salt in a polymer precursor or a mixture of at least one polymer and one polymer precursor, that constitutes a solvent for the hygroscopic inorganic salt. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , in which said polymer precursor is its monomer. 
     
     
         10 . A method for removal of H 2 O from a device sensitive to its presence, the method comprising
 using composite sorber manufactured according to the method of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , in which said device is an OLED display. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , in which said device is a microelectromechanical device. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 10 , in which said device is a solar cell. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 10 , in which said device is a lithium battery. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 10 , in which said composite sorber is used in form of a thin film with a thickness between 10 and 200 μm. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 10 , in which said composite sorber is dispensed inside said device before consolidating said sorber. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , in which dispensation of said composite sorber occurs by serigraphy. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , in which consolidation of said sorber is a thermal or UV-promoted polymerization. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 10 , in which said polymeric composite sorber is in form of nanofibres. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , in which said nanofibres are manufactured by electrospinning. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 10 , in which said sorber is introduced in said sensitive device by melting of said composite sorber. 
     
     
         22 . A polymeric composite sorber consisting of polymeric matrices comprising dissolved hygroscopic salts of one or more of the following inorganic salts: alkali-metal perhalogenates, alkaline earth-metal perhalogenates, alkali-metal hydroxides, alkali-metal halides and alkaline earth-metal halides. 
     
     
         23 . The polymeric composite sorber according to  claim 21 , in which said alkali-metal perhalogenates are perchlorates. 
     
     
         24 . The polymeric composite sorber according to  claim 21 , in which said polymeric matrix is obtained by combination of two different types of polymers or of their precursors or a mixture of at least one polymer and one polymer precursor. 
     
     
         25 . The polymeric composite sorber according to  claim 23 , in which said one of said polymers or polymer precursors acts as cross-linking agent for said polymeric matrix.