Shaped or sized encapsulated reactant and method of making

Abstract

Technologies are described for a method of making an encapsulated reactant having a desired shape or size. The method comprises providing solid reactant particles and an encapsulating material. The encapsulating material is heated above its solidification temperature to form a molten, semi-solid, or liquid encapsulating material. The solid reactant particles are added to the molten, semi-solid, or liquid encapsulating material and mixed to disperse the solid reactant particles in the encapsulating material and form a mixture. The mixture may be extruded or formed into the desired shape or size of the encapsulated reactant, or the mixture may be solidified and extruded, granulated, shredded, ground, or pressed into the desired shape or size.

1 . A method of making an encapsulated reactant having a desired shape or size comprising the steps of:
 providing solid reactant particles;   providing an encapsulating material;   heating the encapsulating material above its solidification temperature to form a molten, semi-solid, or liquid encapsulating material;   adding the solid reactant particles to the molten, semi-solid, or liquid encapsulating material and mixing to disperse the solid reactant particles in the encapsulating material and form a mixture;   solidifying the mixture by cooling the mixture below the solidification temperature of the encapsulating material; and   shaping or sizing the encapsulated reactant into a desired shape or size.   
     
     
         2 . The method of making an encapsulated reactant of  claim 1 , wherein the step of solidifying the mixture and the step of shaping or sizing the encapsulated reactant are performed simultaneously. 
     
     
         3 . The method of making an encapsulated reactant of  claim 1 , wherein the step of solidifying the mixture is performed prior to the step of shaping or sizing the encapsulated reactant and the step of shaping or sizing the encapsulated reactant comprises shaping or sizing the solidified mixture. 
     
     
         4 . The method of making an encapsulated reactant of  claim 3 , wherein the step of shaping or sizing the encapsulated reactant comprises at least one of extruding, granulating, shredding, grinding, and pressing the solidified mixture into the desired shape or size. 
     
     
         5 . The method of making an encapsulated reactant of  claim 4 , wherein the step of shaping or sizing the encapsulated reactant comprises extruding the solidified mixture and forming the desired shape or size of the encapsulated reactant. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising a step of cutting the extruded encapsulated reactant into desired lengths. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of extruding the encapsulated reactant comprises pressing the encapsulated reactant through orifices in a die. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of shaping or sizing the encapsulated reactant into a desired shape or size comprises extruding, granulating, shredding, or grinding the solidified mixture and compressing the extruded, granulated, shredded, or ground solidified mixture into the desired shape or sized. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of compressing the encapsulated reactant comprises compressing the granulated, shredded, or ground encapsulated reactant by an amount sufficient to increase the bulk density of the granulated, shredded, or ground encapsulated reactant. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the encapsulating material is substantially oleophilic, hydrophobic, siliphilic, or hydrocarbon soluble. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the encapsulating material comprises wax. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solid reactant particles are selected from the group consisting of oxidants, reductants, catalysts, chelants, transition metal amine complexes, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solid reactant particles have a reactant selected from the group consisting of peroxides, permanganates, persulfates, hypochlorite, zero valent iron, halogens, metabisulfite, polysulfides, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of making a shaped or sized encapsulated reactant of  claim 1  further comprising a step of separating the shaped or sized encapsulated reactant. 
     
     
         15 . The method of making a shaped or sized encapsulated reactant of  claim 14 , wherein the step of separating the shaped or sized encapsulated reactant comprises screening or sieving the shaped or sized encapsulated reactant.