Technical Field This invention relates to a method of making cellulose-based films containing insoluble substances.

Background of the Invention There is a need for controlled release of substances in a variety of fields. One example of this is in the medical field where there is the need to time release ingested or injected drugs. There are several ways to effect the controlled and extended release of substances, such as through the use of matrix tablets, micro-capsules or coated pellets that are incorporated into hard gelatin capsules or enteric coated labels. Production processes include conventional granulation and tabletting of matrix tablets, pan coating, prilling, extrusion and spheroidization, fluid bed processes, spray drying, spray chilling, and coacervation.

In most controlled release devices, the active substance is surrounded by a polymer matrix which slowly dissolves on contact with aqueous media to release the active substance.

Statement of the Prior Art In U. S. Patent No. 6, 096, 834 the active material is crosslinked to the polymer matrix and the controlled release is achieved by a slow hydrolysis of this linkage.

Water soluble solids were added to a nonwoven web of fibrous cellulosic material in order to confer flame retardancy in U. S. Patent No. 5,912, 196. In the textile field, alkali metal additives were added to Spandex@ fabric in U. S. Patent No. 5,539, 037 in a concentration range 0.02- 0. 25% in order to increase the heat efficiency of the Spandex@ fabric.

Wan in U. S. Patent No. 5,846, 213 discloses a method for making a film from microbially produced cellulose, particularly cellulose produced from the culture of Acetobacter xylinum in a stirred tank. The film is made by dissolving the cellulose in a solvent system comprising dimethylacetamide and lithium chloride, casting the resulting solution onto a flat surface and regenerating the film in a gelatin bath. A humectant can be incorporated into the film by solvent exchange.

Though active molecules have been encapsulated in a cellulose matrix in a wide variety of applications, these techniques have relied mostly on granulation and tabletting technologies.

Statement of the Invention It is desirable to have a matrix where the active material experiences a substantial barrier to diffusion, as in the case where the matrix is cohesive at the molecular level. The present invention discloses a method for making doped membranes from a wide variety of celluloses, said films having the characteristic of very slow leaching of the insoluble solid. Cellulose membranes are particularly useful in a variety of applications. They are useful as battery separators and dialysis membranes. Their similarity to the human skin has made them useful as wound dressings. It is useful to dope polymers with different solids in order to effect a change in a certain property.

The present invention provides a method for manufacturing cellulose-based membranes that contain insoluble solids, with a solubility less than 1 mg/L and less than 50% solids by weight of cellulose. It is known that various celluloses can be dissolved in a wide variety of solvents.

Among the solvents that dissolve cellulose without significant degradation is a combination of an alkali metal salt such as lithium chloride with a polar solvent such as dimethylacetamide. This solvent is able to dissolve a wide variety of celluloses. Celluloses with a degree of polymerization from 200 to 1200, in the form of, but not limited to, microcrystalline cellulose, cotton fiber, paper and microgranular cellulose can be dissolved in a solvent containing 3 to 8% by wt alkali metal salt to polar solvent and 1 to 11% wt cellulose to polar solvent. The incorporation of the solids in the membrane is achieved by mixing the insoluble solids in a cellulose solution of an alkali metal salt such as LiCl in a polar solvent such as DMSO, DMF, suitably dimethylacetamide (DMAC), casting said

solution under controlled environmental conditions until a gel is formed, rinsing said. gel until all Lid and polar solvent are removed, and drying this gel. This method produces a uniform dispersion of a solid in a film that has a substantial barrier to diffusion of the solid out of the film.

The present invention teaches the encapsulation of a wide variety of solids having low solubility in water, generally less than lmg/L. The insoluble solids may be added to the solution to produce a membrane that exhibits a uniform distribution of the solids. Because the cellulose membrane formed from the solution is cohesive at the molecular level, the retained encapsulated solids are subject to a polymer matrix having a significant barrier to diffusion, although the solids may slowly be leached out of the polymer matrix in an appropriate liquid environment.

The cellulose encapsulated solid is slowly released from the polymer matrix at a rate of lppm/hour to 40ppm/hour at ambient conditions, where ppm refers to parts per million of the insoluble solid present.

Detailed Description of the Invention Of the solids that may be added, some inorganic salts are more suitable in terms of insolubility. The following illustrative list is not inclusive. Among the candidates are: Elements: all water insoluble elements Phosphates: AlP04 Metaphosphates: Al (PO3) 3 Sulfides: NaS, KS, ZnS, Bi2S3 Selenides: As2Se Chromates: BaCrO4

Carbonates: BaC03 Boride: BaB6 Molybdates: BaMo04 Niobates: Ba (Nb03) 2, Cd (Nb03) z Halides: AgCl, AgBr, Agl, AgCN, CaF2 Iodates : AgIO3 Carbonyls: Mn2 (CO) 1o Oxides: Zr02, TlO2 Of the heavy metal oxides, suitable compounds include ZrO2 and Ti02. Suitable dyes include copper pthallocyanine and zinc pthallocyanine.

The concentration of salt should not exceed 50% of the cellulose weight, since at high concentrations of solids cellulose molecular cohesion is poor and no membrane would result. The preferred concentration of salt is from 5-458 by weight, suitably 10-30 percent by weight.

In addition to the salt, a softener, such as glycerol or decane, may be added to the solution, as long as it is soluble in the solvent.

An important aspect of the method is the rate at which water moisture is introduced to coagulate the gel. The introduction of water to the cast mixture cannot be too slow or too fast. If it is too slow, no gel will form in a meaningful amount of time. If it is too fast, the gel formed will not be cohesive and the final film will not be strong. The rate of deposition of water affects the pore size and ultimately affects the leach rate of the entrapped solid. Generally the water is introduced to the solution at a rate from lppm/hr/cm2 to 6000ppm/hr/cm2, preferably at a rate from 30ppm/hr/cm2 to 90ppm/hr/cm2. The solution can be slowly gelled by exposure to ambient, moist, atmosphere.

The solution can be coagulated with conventional techniques, either by exposure to ambient moisture or by direct application of a water stream to the resulting solution. It has been observed that a relative humidity range of 35e-80t at a temperature range of 15 to 30 degrees Celsius yields acceptable gels within a 1 to 3 hour range.

The coagulated cellulose material, in the form of a cohesive gel with entrapped solid, is washed to remove the polar solvent and the salt. It is possible to employ alcohols mixed with water, but it is preferable that they be kept below a 50% volume ratio.

After thorough washing of the resulting gel, the gel may be dried with any conventional technique such as air drying, vacuum drying or press drying.

Example 1 100 g of LiCl is dissolved in 2 kg of dimethylacetamide (DMAC) at room temperature. 40 g of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC, Aldrich 31, 069-7) is placed in a solution containing 2 kg of LiCl/DMAC solvent and heated to 120 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes. The cooled solution provides a clear solution. The solution is cooled to room temperature and 5.1 g copper pthallocyanine is added to the solution. Deionized water is introduced to form a blue gel at a rate of 40ppm/hr/cm2. After gelling at 55% relative humidity at 22 degrees Celsius for 2 hours, the blue gel is rinsed with deionized water to remove all solvent and LiCl. The clean gel is placed in a dry-press mount at 105 degrees Celsius for 1.5 hours at which point a bright blue membrane is obtained. This membrane retains its color despite being soaked in water for several days.

Example 2

100 g of LiCl is dissolved in 2 kg of dimethylacetamide (DMAC) at room temperature. 40 g of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC, Aldrich 31,069-7) is placed in a solution containing 2 kg of LiCl/DMAC solvent and heated to 120 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes. The cooled solution provides a clear solution. The solution is cooled to room temperature and 3.2 g CaF2 is added to the solution. After gelling with ambient moisture over a period of 3 hours, the gel is rinsed with deionized water to remove all solvent and LiCl. The clean gel is placed in a dry-press mount at 105 degrees Celsius for 1.5 hours at which point a clear hazy film is obtained.

Example 3 40 grams of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC, Aldrich 31,069-7) is placed in a solution of 2 kg of 5% LiCl/DMAC and heated to 120 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes. The cooled solution affords a clear solution of MCC. 26. 7 grams of ethyl cellulose (EC) is dissolved in 530 ml DMAC separately. The MCC and EC solutions are combined in a 60/40 weight ratio by polymer weight. To this mixture 3.3g CaF2 is added and stirred for 15 minutes. 40 ml of the combined solution is placed on a glass tray. A humidifier providing water over the glass tray yields a gelled product containing phases of MCC and EC. This gel is then washed with water repeatedly until all DMAC and LiCl are removed.

The gel is then dried with a press-dry, affording a film useful as a separator.

Example 4 40 grams of microcrystalline cellulose is added to a solution of 2 kg of 5% LiCl/DMAC. The solution is heated to 120 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes. The cooled solution

affords a clear solution of microcrystalline cellulose.

26.7 grams of ethyl cellulose is-dissolved in 530 ml DMAC separately. The microcrystalline cellulose and the ethyl cellulose solutions are combined in a 60/40 weight ratio by polymer weight. To this mixture 8 g Cu (OH) 2 is added and stirred for 15 minutes. 40 ml of the combined solution is placed on a glass tray. A humidifier providing water over the glass tray yields a gelled product containing phases of microcrystalline cellulose and ethyl cellulose. This gel is then washed with water repeatedly until all DMAC and LiC1 are removed. The gel is then dried with a press-dry, affording a blue film useful as a battery separator.

Example 5 Separators containing 2-25% by weight of a metal sulfide in a cellulose-ethyl cellulose were prepared by the method of Example 4. These separators can be utilized adjacent a separation containing a copper salt as described in copending application Serial No. 09/839, 320, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference.

It is to be realized that only preferred embodiments of the invention have been described and that numerous substitutions, modifications and alterations are permissible without departing from. the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.