Encapsulated additives

Abstract

A process for treating a substrate, being a fabric or leather, where an homogenous mixture of particles based on a maleimide polymer comprising a thermo-regulator additive is applied to a substrate and subsequently dried on it.

1 . A process for treating a substrate comprising the steps of:
 forming particles based on a maleimide polymer comprising a functional additive so as to obtain a homogenous mixture of the particles,   applying said mixture to the said substrate,   drying or curing said mixture on said substrate so that said particles are fixed on said substrate,   
       wherein said functional additive is a thermo-regulator and said substrate is a fabric or leather. 
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the maleimide polymer comprises poly(styrene maleimide). 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein size of the particles is lower than 1 μm. 
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the particles comprise a further additive selected from the group consisting of flame retardant, another hydrophobic compound, biocide, light absorbing and/or emitting compounds, odorant, odor controlling agent, skin care agent, color pigment and probiotic material, and wherein the thermo-regulator has a narrow transition phase temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein, before application on the substrate, the homogenous mixture of the particles is mixed with a polymer formulation to form a second homogenous mixture, the polymer present within said formulation having a glass transition temperature (Tg) between −60° C. and 100° C., in a mass ratio between said particles and said polymer comprised between 1:10 and 10:1 (w particle :w polymer ), wherein a Tg value of said polymer is measured by plotting heat capacity as a function of temperature, and subsequent derivation of said Tg from an intersection of two tangents. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein the polymer having a Tg between −60° C. and 100° C. is selected from the group consisting of acrylics, polyurethanes, poly vinyl acetate, polyamides, styrenebutadiene latex, natural or synthetic rubber, poly vinyl butyral, polyethylene, Ethylene Vinyl Acetate, polyesters, natural latex, bio-based polymers, and halogenate derivatives thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 5 , wherein the mixture or the second mixture is applied on the substrate by spraying, coating, printing, lamination or impregnation. 
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 5 , wherein the mixture or the second mixture added on the substrate is dried upon heating. 
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 5 , wherein the second mixture added on the substrate is cured upon UV-irradiation. 
     
     
         10 . A substrate obtainable by the process according to  claim 5 . 
     
     
         11 . A composition comprising particles based on a maleimide polymer, said particles comprising a thermo-regulator additive. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the thermo-regulator additive has a narrow transition phase temperature. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the particles further comprise another additive selected from the group consisting of flame retardant, another hydrophobic compound, biocides, light absorbing and/or emitting compounds, odorant, odor controlling agent, skin care agent, color pigment and probiotic material. 
     
     
         14 . The composition according to  claim 11 , wherein the maleimide polymer comprises poly(styrene maleimide). 
     
     
         15 . The composition according to  claim 11 , wherein size of the particles is lower than 1 μm. 
     
     
         16 . The composition according to  claim 11  further comprising a formulation of a polymer having a Tg between −60° C. and 100° C., wherein a mass ratio between the particles and the polymer present in said formulation is comprised between 1:10 and 10:1, wherein the Tg value of said polymer is measured by plotting heat capacity as a function of temperature, and subsequent derivation of the said Tg from an intersection of two tangents. 
     
     
         17 . A foam or a paste consisting essentially of the composition according to  claim 11 . 
     
     
         18 . A method for encapsulating at least two additives on a substrate, the method comprising:
 forming particles based on a maleimide polymer comprising a thermo-regulator additive and a second additive selected from the group consisting of flame retardant, other hydrophobic compounds, biocides, light absorbing and/or emitting compounds, odorant, odor controlling agent, skin care agent, color pigment and probiotic material so as to obtain a homogenous mixture of the particles,   applying said mixture to said substrate, and   drying or curing said mixture on said substrate so that said particles are fixed on said substrate,   
       wherein said substrate is a fabric or leather. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the thermo-regulator additive has a narrow transition phase temperature. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the maleimide polymer comprises poly(styrene maleimide). 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the homogenous mixture further comprises a formulation of polymer having a Tg between −60° C. and 100° C. and wherein the mass ratio between the particles and the polymer present within said formulation is comprised between 1:10 and 10:1.