What is claimed is:
1. A composition comprising at least two types of discrete fluorescent materials, each capable of emitting a distinct fluorescent light, said materials encapsulated by a shell barrier.
2. The composition of claim 1 wherein fluorescent signal emitting materials comprise microspheres or nanospheres.
3. The composition of claim 1 wherein fluorescent signal emitting materials comprise powders, crystals, rods, fibers, liquids, and combination thereof.
4. The composition of claim 1 wherein the shell barrier comprises a layer of a polymerizable material.
5. The composition of claim 1 which exhibits a spherical shape or a granular shape.
6. The composition of claim 1 whereby said composition has a diameter of about 1 nanometer to about 10 millimeters.
7. A fluorescence encapsulation device comprising an inner zone delimited by a capsule shell that inhibits the leakage of fluorescence emitting materials, wherein the capsule shell comprises a hydrophilic or a hydrophobic polymer material, wherein the inner zone comprises two or more fluorescent light emitting materials each capable of emitting at least one distinct fluorescent signal.
8. A method of making a capsule, which emits at least two distinct fluorescent signals comprising the steps of:
a) mixing in a matrix material at least two fluorescent materials at a desired ratio;
b) forming a droplet out of mixture obtained at step (a), and;
c) encapsulating formed droplet by a capsule material.
9. A process for encapsulating two or more fluorescent materials each capable of emitting at least one distinct fluorescent signal in a shell comprising:
a) dispersing or dissolving said fluorescent materials in a matrix-forming material,
b) adding a shell material or precursor thereof to stirred fluorescent materials in the matrix-forming material, and
c) polymerizing the shell material or its precursor to the polymerized shell which encapsulates the fluorescent materials.
10. A process for encapsulating fluorescent materials in a shell comprising:
a) preparing an encapsulation composition by dispersing or dissolving said fluorescent materials in a matrix-forming material,
b) emulsifying the encapsulation composition in a solution of gelatin,
c) mixing at desired rate the obtained solution to allow said encapsulation composition to break up into droplets of desired size,
d) adding a solution of gum arabic,
e) thermally softening the obtained solution while adding warm water,
f) bringing the pH of the solution to about 4.0 and 4.4,
g) cooling the solution and adding a cross-linking agent to form the capsule shell,
h) bringing the pH to about 9, and;
i) curing the capsule shell by raising the temperature to about 50 C.
11. A composition comprising (i) two or more substances, each substance capable of emitting a distinctive fluorescent signal, (ii) a shell barrier encapsulating said two or more substances.
12. The composition of claim 11 in which said fluorescent signal is distinctive by way of its wavelength.
13. The composition of claim 11 in which said fluorescent signal is distinctive by way of its intensity.
14. The composition of claim 11 in which said fluorescent signal is distinctive by way of its wavelength, intensity, or both.
15. The composition of claim 11 in which said substance comprises one or more particles each particle stained with a fluorescent dye.
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. An aluminosilicate mixture for fabricating fireproof, high-strength granules, the mixture comprising a product of a combined grind of preliminarily roasted kaolin and bauxite, wherein:
the roasted kaolin is present in the mixture in an amount of 33-67 wt. % and is produced by roasting a kaolin containing Al2O3 in an amount of 40-45 wt. % and free quartz in an amount that is no more than 5 wt. %, at a temperature in the range of from 1400\xb0 C. to 1500\xb0 C., to a water absorption of no more than 5%,
the balance of the mixture being roasted bauxite, produced by roasting a bauxite at a temperature higher than 1100\xb0 C., and
wherein the mixture contains no less than 50 wt. % of Al2O3.
2. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the roasted bauxite is produced by roasting a bauxite that contains 60-65 wt. % of Al2O3 at a temperature within the range of from 1500\xb0 C. to 1700\xb0 C. to a water absorption of no more than 5%.
3. The mixture of claim 2, wherein the roasted bauxite is produced by roasting the bauxite at a temperature in the range of from 1600\xb0 C. to 1650\xb0 C.
4. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the roasted bauxite is produced by roasting a bauxite that contains more than 65 wt. % of Al2O3, at a temperature within the range of from 1100\xb0 C. to 1400\xb0 C., to a water absorption in the range of from 20 to 35%.
5. The mixture of claim 4, wherein the roasted bauxite is produced by roasting the bauxite at a temperature in the range of 1250\xb0 C. to 1300\xb0 C.
6. A propping composition containing fireproof, high strength granules fabricated by roasting the mixture of claim 1.
7. Fireproof, high-strength spherical granules manufactured by drying, sieving and roasting, at a temperature in the range of from 1500\xb0 C. to 1700\xb0 C., the product of the combined grind of claim 1.
8. A method for producing fireproof, high-strength essentially spherical granules, the method comprising:
a. mixture granulating roasted kaolin, prepared by roasting a kaolin containing Al2O3 in an amount of 40-45 wt. % and free quartz in an amount of no more than 5 wt. %, at a temperature in the range of from 1400\xb0 C. to 1500\xb0 C., to a water absorption of no more than 5%, and roasted bauxite, prepared by roasting a bauxite at a temperature higher than 1100\xb0 C., wherein the mixture has no less than 50 wt. % of Al2O3 and includes 33-67 wt. % roasted kaolin, the balance of the mixture being roasted bauxite, to form granules;
b. drying the granules to form dried granules;
c. sieving the dried granules to obtained a cut of the dried granules; and
d. roasting the cut of dried granules at a temperature in the range of from 1500\xb0 C. to 1700\xb0 C., to produce the fireproof, high-strength essentially spherical granules.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the roasted bauxite is prepared by roasting a bauxite that contains 60-65 wt. % of Al2O3 at a temperature in the range of from 1500\xb0 C. to 1700\xb0 C. to a water absorption of no more than 5%.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the roasted bauxite is prepared by roasting the bauxite at a temperature in the range of from 1600\xb0 C. to 1650\xb0 C.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein the roasted bauxite is prepared by roasting a bauxite that contains more than 65 wt. % of Al2O3, at a temperature within the range of from 1100\xb0 C. to 1400\xb0 C., to a water absorption in the range of from 20 to 35%.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the roasted bauxite is prepared by roasting the bauxite at a temperature in the range of 1250\xb0 C. to 1300\xb0 C.
13. Fireproof, high-strength, essentially spherical granules produced by the method of claim 8.
14. Granules comprising a roasted aluminosilicate mixture, obtained by roasting at a temperature in the range of 1500\xb0 C. to 1700\xb0 C. an aluminosilicate mixture containing no less than 50 wt. % of Al2O3 and including
33-67 wt. % roasted kaolin obtained by roasting, at a temperature in the range of from 1400\xb0 C. to 1500\xb0 C., to a water absorption of no more than 5%, a kaolin containing Al2O3 in an amount of 40-45 wt. % and free quartz in an amount that is no more than 5 wt. %,
the balance of the mixture being roasted bauxite, obtained by roasting bauxite at a temperature higher than 1100\xb0 C.
15. The granules of claim 14, wherein the roasted bauxite is obtained by roasting a bauxite that contains 60-65 wt. % of Al2O3 at a temperature within the range of from 1500\xb0 C. to 1700\xb0 C. to a water absorption of no more than 5%.
16. The granules of claim 15, wherein the roasted bauxite is obtained by roasting the bauxite at a temperature in the range of from 1600\xb0 C. to 1650\xb0 C.
17. The granules of claim 14, wherein the roasted bauxite is obtained by roasting a bauxite that contains more than 65 wt. % of Al2O3, at a temperature within the range of from 1100\xb0 C. to 1400\xb0 C., to a water absorption in the range of from 20 to 35%.
18. The granules of claim 17, wherein the roasted bauxite is obtained by roasting the bauxite at a temperature in the range of 1250\xb0 C. to 1300\xb0 C.
19. A propping composition containing the granules of claim 14.