Exothermic expandable compositions

Abstract

An expandable, exothermic gel-forming composition that is predominately useful in the consumer products and medical industries. More particularly, it relates to the use of expandable particulate exothermic gel-forming compositions with efficient and long-lasting heat production for heating surfaces and objects without the need for electricity or combustible fuel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An expandable, exothermic gel-forming composition comprising:
 first and second metallic galvanic alloy particles;   a metallic secondary shell comprised of at least one transitional metal; and   a super absorbent polymer;   wherein the first and second metallic galvanic alloy particles, the metallic secondary shell, and the super absorbent polymer are blended with each other;   wherein the gel-forming composition expands as the gel-forming composition is hydrated and generates an exothermic reaction that produces heat for a predetermined duration of time when exposed to water and an electrolyte.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein a powder mixture is formed from first and second metallic galvanic particles that are blended with the super absorbent polymer. 
     
     
         4 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the galvanic metallic alloy particles are blended by a blending apparatus with a super absorbent polymer to form a homogenous powder mixture. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the transitional metal of the secondary shell consists of Scandium, Titanium, Vanadium, Chromium, Manganese, Iron, Cobalt, Nickel, Copper, Zinc, Yttrium, Zirconium, Niobium, Molybdenum, Technetium, Ruthenium, Rhodium, Palladium, Silver, Cadmium, Hafnium, Tantalum, Tungsten, Rhenium, Osmium, Iridium, Platinum, Gold, Mercury, Rutherfordium, Dubnium, Seaborgium, Bohrium, Hassium, Meitnerium, or Ununnilium. 
     
     
         7 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the transitional metal of the secondary shell is Manganese Dioxide. 
     
     
         8 . The composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising: activated carbon blended with the galvanic alloy particles, secondary shell, and super absorbent polymer,
 wherein the activated carbon is blended or alloyed with magnetite and the activated carbon comprises between 2 and 25% of a total weight of the composition, and   wherein the activated carbon absorbs an odor produced by the exothermic reaction during gel-formation.   
     
     
         9 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an electrolyte comprising sodium chloride or calcium chloride, wherein the super absorbent polymer comprises an absorption capacity of at least 200 g/g, and wherein the super absorbent polymer is operable to absorb water without dissolving by solvation of water molecules via hydrogen bonds.   
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second galvanic alloy particles comprise magnesium and iron. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The composition according to  claim 14 , wherein the super absorbent polymer is sodium polyacrylamide. 
     
     
         17 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises potassium permanganate or potassium ferrate. 
     
     
         18 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the galvanic alloy particles are formed from a mixture of between 2-20% by weight iron and 80-98% by weight magnesium. 
     
     
         21 . The composition according to  claim 1 , formed by mixing a weight ratio of 20:1 to 1:20 galvanic alloy particles to super absorbent polymer. 
     
     
         22 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the galvanic alloy particles are microencapsulated by a polymer. 
     
     
         25 . The composition according to  claim 24 , wherein the polymer is hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. 
     
     
         26 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the galvanic alloy particles are encapsulated by a gel formed by the super absorbent polymer, and wherein the predetermined duration of time is at least an hour. 
     
     
         27 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the galvanic alloy particles do not include iron. 
     
     
         28 . An expandable, exothermic expandable composition comprising:
 first and second galvanic alloy particles;   a super absorbent polymer; and   potassium permanganate or potassium ferrate;   wherein the first and second metallic galvanic alloy particles, the potassium permanganate or potassium ferrate, and the super absorbent polymer are blended with each other;   wherein the composition expands as the composition is hydrated and generates an exothermic reaction that produces heat for a predetermined duration of time when exposed only to water and an electrolyte.   
     
     
         29 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The composition according to  claim 28 , wherein water and Hydrogen Peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) are byproducts of the exothermic reaction. 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . The composition according to  claim 28 , wherein the composition is disposed in a sealed container comprising a liquid permeable layer or a steam valve. 
     
     
         34 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The composition according to  claim 28 , wherein the first and second galvanic alloy particles comprise MgFe and MnO 2 . 
     
     
         38 . An expandable, exothermic composition comprising:
 manganese dioxide blended with a buffering agent comprising a super absorbent polymer or a blended mixture of compressed sponge and/or clay particles; and   wherein the gel-forming composition expands as the gel-forming composition is hydrated and produces heat for a predetermined duration of time when exposed only to an aqueous solution comprising hydrogen peroxide.   
     
     
         39 - 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . The composition according to  claim 38 , wherein the composition expands to form an exothermic gel or stiff foam. 
     
     
         42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . The composition according to claim  40 , wherein the composition fluffs up as the composition is hydrated. 
     
     
         44 - 46 . (canceled) 
     
     
         47 . The composition according to  claim 38 , wherein the buffering agent is a super absorbent polymer, and wherein the manganese oxide and the super absorbent polymer are blended with each other to form a homogenous mixture. 
     
     
         48 - 51 . (canceled) 
     
     
         52 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein over at or about 40%, over at or about 45%, over at or about 50%, over at or about 55%, over at or about 60%, over at or about 65%, over at or about 70%, over at or about 75%, over at or about 80%, over at or about 85%, over at or about 90%, or over at or about 95% of hydrogen gases produced by the exothermic reaction are suppressed and not released from the composition during the exothermic reaction. 
     
     
         53 - 60 . (canceled)