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OT - Is anyone here a chemist?

JasmineSkunkJasmineSkunk Posts: 1,906
edited November 25 in The Commons

Hi. I've been trying to learn how to turn my artwork into scratch & sniff stickers... which I have learned can be done through a microencapsulation process. I have done my due dilligence researching how this might be accomplished and have a basic understanding of what's required to encapsulate essential oils using gelatin as a shell material. But the process itself, I have a few questions about as to what I need to do with my solution once the reaction has finished and been allowed to cool. 

One article said to "decant" the solution and store in a cool place.

Chatgpt suggested I filter through a nylon mesh and "rinse" them in distilled water and then allow them to dry to "cure" them...

But I'm confused by both of these.

I need to adhere the scented oil infused microcapsules to vinyl sticker paper once formed. I thought I might be able to add gum arabic to the solution during the "mixing" but I'm not sure if I would do that prior to adding the acetone or after and I'm not sure how I can go about adhering them to the page if I have to dry them first.

I'm still in the earliest stages of this and would appreciate any insight anyone can give me as I have searched the internet relentlessly and not found a clear solution and I know THIS group is very diverse and am hoping someone here will know something.

Thanks.

Jaz

Post edited by JasmineSkunk on

Comments

  • DripDrip Posts: 1,198

    What basically should happen according to that description, is that some crude powder will sink to the bottom of the container, which you should be able to seperate from the liquid through either decanting or filtering it through a fine mesh, or even a combination of both. The crude powder would be the microcapsules you're after.
    Filtering through a nylon mesh cloth seems clever, since after the filtering, you can simply close the cloth and gently rinse it while within that cloth, then fold it open again and let it dry. They probably suggest nylon because there's less chance for the powder to get stuck within the fibers of the cloth.
    Storing in a cool place should help harden the gelatinous shells and reduce the evaporation of the "smelly" bits.

    Not sure about the gum arabic, or even whether it's a good idea to include it in the solution or add it after. So maybe someone else has some suggestions on that part.

  • JasmineSkunkJasmineSkunk Posts: 1,906
    Thank you, Drip!!
  • backgroundbackground Posts: 418

    Personally I wouldn't trust Chatgpt to tell me how to use a pencil, but your milage may vary.

  • JasmineSkunkJasmineSkunk Posts: 1,906
    edited November 25

    background said:

    Personally I wouldn't trust Chatgpt to tell me how to use a pencil, but your milage may vary.

    laughlaugh hahaha! 

    Yeah, well it does sometimes give me a direction to follow and further my research. LOL

    I'm still trying to figure out how I will adhere them to the page. I thought initially I would be able to apply the "finished" solution while wet, but further investigation suggests letting them dry first. It seems to me if I could let them dry onto the page, that would be best.

    So... Now I'm worried to "break" them if I try to spread them onto the page in some way. I had initially thought I might be able to use a screen print "screen" and smear the liquid containing the microcapsules onto the page while still wet. But now, I'm not sure how I might go about it without destroying them - especially if I need to dry them to cure them first.

    Any suggestions anyone? 

    I don't want to add a smell. That's why I thought gum arabic might work as a binder. And I don't want to risk breaking them in the application process.. 

    but again. I am still in the research phase and still need to purchase the magnetic heat stirer thing so I am trying to gather resources and equipment I will need and am still uncertain how to get the last step of getting them onto the page figured out.

    (edited because I didn't want people to misunderstand... lol)

     

    Post edited by JasmineSkunk on
  • backgroundbackground Posts: 418
    edited November 25

    Maybe you could try something like double sided sticky tape, so that it sticks the granules down without being liquid? Or some sort of fast drying spray which sticks and dries off before it can disolve the microcapsules. I guess a spray would need to be very soft to avoid blowing the microcapsules away. A non scented hairspray might be worth considering, I know military modellers use that to create a water soluable layer that can be painted over.

     

    Post edited by background on
  • JasmineSkunkJasmineSkunk Posts: 1,906

    Thanks for the feedback, background!  I appreciate any and every tip or suggestion as I try to figure this out. smiley

  • FauvistFauvist Posts: 2,115
    edited November 27

    You mean like the perfume sample inserts in fashion magazines - that were made illegal?

    There are 25 references to source information on this page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scratch_and_sniff

    Post edited by Fauvist on
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