1. A polymer composition comprising:
a continuous hydrophobic phase comprising a mixture comprising:
a hydrophobic liquid comprising mineral oil; and
a hydrophobic thermoplastic elastomeric polymer;
absorbent hydrophilic microparticles dispersed within the hydrophobic liquid, wherein the hydrophilic microparticles comprise a crosslinked carboxylic acid-containing organic polymer; and
a bioactive agent having a particle size less than one micron dispersed in the hydrophilic microparticles, wherein the bioactive agent is selected from the group consisting of a metal oxide of silver, a metal oxide of copper, a metal oxide of zinc, and combinations thereof;
wherein the polymer composition is nonadherent and contains less than 1 wt % water based on the total weight of the composition.
2. The polymer composition of claim 1 wherein the absorbent hydrophilic microparticles have an average particle size of 10 microns or less, when in a nonhydrated form.
3. The polymer composition of claim 2 wherein the absorbent hydrophilic microparticles have an average particle size of 1 micron or less, when in a nonhydrated form.
4. The polymer composition of claim 3 wherein the absorbent hydrophilic microparticles have an average particle size of 0.5 micron to 1 micron when in a nonhydrated form.
5. The polymer composition of claim 2 further comprising secondary absorbent particles having an average particle size of greater than 10 microns when in a nonhydrated form.
6. The polymer composition of claim 5 wherein the secondary absorbent particles having an average particle size of greater than 10 microns are superabsorbent.
7. The polymer composition of claim 1 wherein the microparticles are superabsorbent.
8. The polymer composition of claim 1 wherein the carboxylic acid-containing organic polymer comprises a copolymer of sodium acrylate and acrylic acid.
9. The polymer composition of claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic elastomeric polymer is selected from the group consisting of a styrene-isoprene block copolymer, a styrene-(ethylenebutylene) block copolymer, a styrene-(ethylenepropylene) block copolymer, a styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer, a styrene-butadiene block copolymer, a polyetherester, a poly-alpha-olefin based thermoplastic elastomeric polymer, an ethylene-1-octene copolymer, and combinations thereof.
10. The polymer composition of claim 9 wherein the thermoplastic elastomeric polymer is selected from the group consisting of styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene (SEPS), styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS), and combinations thereof.
11. The polymer composition of claim 1 further comprising an additive selected from the group consisting of a plasticizer, a crosslinking agent, a stabilizer, an extruding aid, a filler, a pigment, a dye, a swelling agent, a foaming agent, a chain transfer agent, and combinations thereof.
12. The polymer composition of claim 1 wherein the microparticles are present in an amount of 1 wt-% to 60 wt-%, based on the total weight of the polymer composition.
13. The polymer composition of claim 1 wherein the composition is stable.
14. The polymer composition of claim 1 wherein the composition is in the form of a hydrocolloid.
15. The polymer composition of claim 1 further comprising a swelling agent.
16. The polymer composition of claim 1 wherein the bioactive agent is silver oxide.
17. A medical article comprising the polymer composition of claim 1.
18. A polymer composition comprising:
a continuous hydrophobic phase comprising a mixture comprising:
mineral oil; and
a hydrophobic thermoplastic elastomeric polymer selected from the group consisting of styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene (SEPS), styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS), and combinations thereof;
absorbent hydrophilic microparticles dispersed within the mineral oil, wherein the hydrophilic microparticles comprise a crosslinked carboxylic acid-containing organic polymer; and
a bioactive agent having a particle size less than one micron dispersed in the hydrophilic microparticles, wherein the bioactive agent is selected from the group consisting of a metal oxide of silver, a metal oxide of copper, a metal oxide of zinc, and combinations thereof;
wherein the polymer composition is nonadherent and contains less than 1 wt % water based on the total weight of the composition.
19. The polymer composition of claim 18 wherein the bioactive agent is silver oxide.
20. The polymer composition of claim 18 wherein the carboxylic acid-containing organic polymer comprises a copolymer of sodium acrylate and acrylic acid.
21. A medical article comprising the polymer composition of claim 18.
22. A polymer composition comprising:
a continuous hydrophobic phase comprising a mixture comprising:
mineral oil; and
a hydrophobic thermoplastic elastomeric polymer selected from the group consisting of styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene (SEPS), styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS), and combinations thereof;
absorbent hydrophilic microparticles dispersed within the mineral oil, wherein the hydrophilic microparticles comprise a crosslinked a copolymer of sodium acrylate and acrylic acid; and
silver oxide having a particle size less than one micron dispersed in the hydrophilic microparticles;
wherein the polymer composition is nonadherent and contains less than 1 wt % water based on the total weight of the composition.
23. A medical article comprising the polymer composition of claim 22.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A computer center comprising:
a plurality of data center components, at least some of which are equipped with one or more transmitters, and each transmitter having a unique identification (ID) associated with it and each data center component having a unique ID different from a unique ID of the transmitters, the transmitters broadcasting its ID together with the ID of the data center component with which it is associated;
a plurality of receivers positioned in fixed locations in the computer center, the receivers receiving transmissions from the transmitters; and
a central computing resource having information of the positions of each of the receivers and receiving information from the receivers of received transmissions and correlating the received information to deduce by triangulation positional information for the data center components equipped with transmitters,
wherein some data center components are equipped with multiple transmitters at different locations within a case of the data center components, said central computing resource determining orientation of data center components equipped with multiple transmitters as well as positional information.
2. A computer center comprising:
a plurality of transmitters positioned in fixed locations in the computer center, where the transmitter transmit a broadcast signal;
a plurality of data center components, at least some of which are equipped with one or more receivers, and each receiver detecting said broadcasted signal received from said transmitters wherein said broadcasted signal includes a unique ID of the transmitters that is transmitting the broadcast signal; and
a central computing resource having information of the positions of each of the transmitters and receiving information from the receivers of received transmissions and correlating the received information to deduce by triangulation positional information for the machines equipped with receivers,
wherein some data center components are equipped with multiple receivers at different locations within a case of the data center components, said central computing resource determining orientation of data center components equipped with multiple receivers as well as positional information.