WATER DISPERSIBLE FORMULATIONS AND MATERIALS AND METHODS FOR INFLUENCING THEIR WATER DISPERSIBILITY

摘要

The present invention relates to unexpected or surprising discoveries in the field of biodegradable, water-dispersible formulations and materials and methods for influencing their rate of dispersibility in water. In particular, the present invention relates to the unexpected discovery that the inclusion of effective amounts of short length cellulose fibers dispersed throughout a water soluble cellulose ether binder will result in a retardation or slowing of the water dispersibility of the formulation relative to a formulation containing long or long and short cellulose fibers in a cellulose ether binder. In an additional aspect, the present invention relates to the discovery that the inclusion of effective amounts of long length cellulose fibers dispersed throughout a water soluble cellulose ether binder will result in an enhancement or hastening of the water dispersibility of the formulation relative to a formulation containing a cellulose ether binder which does not contain long cellulose fibers. In still a further aspect, the present invention relates to the discovery that the inclusion of effective amounts of a gas-releasing agent increases the rate of water-dispersibility relative to formulations containing only a cellulose ether binder.