The present invention relates to coatings with crystallized active agent(s) and related methods. In an embodiment, the invention includes a method for coating a medical device including selecting a solvent and a polymer, selecting a concentration of an active agent of at least a certain amount of saturation, forming a coating composition having the selected concentration of the active agent, and applying the coating composition to the medical device. In an embodiment, the invention includes an elution control coating disposed on a medical device, the elution control coating including a polymer, and an active agent, wherein the active agent is at least about 80% crystallized within one week of being disposed on the medical device. In an embodiment, the invention includes a method for enhancing the formation of active agent crystals within a coating layer including forming a coating solution and adjusting the concentration of the active agent in the coating solution to reach some percentage of the active agent saturation point. In an embodiment, the invention includes a method of enhancing crystallization of an active agent, the method including forming a coating solution comprising a polymer, an active agent, and a solvent; applying the coating solution to a substrate; and increasing the rate of active agent nucleation within the coating.

Coatings with crystallized active agent(s) and methods

The present invention provides a solvent composition that is environmentally safe and has a palatable odor. The solvent composition can be used in numerous applications such as cleaning metal and non-metal surfaces and as a thinning agent. The solvent composition of the invention includes acetone, methyl propyl ketone, isopropyl alcohol, and n-butyl acetate; includes less than 3 % methyl isobutyl ketone; and is substantially free of other undesirable chemicals such as methylene chloride, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, methyl ethyl ketone, and toluene. The present invention also includes a method of cleaning a metal or non-metal surface and thinning a composition using the solvent composition of the invention.

Environmentally safe solvent composition

Tertiary-butyl acetate does not produce vapors which are considered as hazardous or polluting as those of other common organic solvents. Accordingly, the present invention discloses a general purpose cleaning composition that is formed by emulsifying t-butyl acetate with water. In another embodiment of the present invention, a general purpose cleaning composition is formed by mixing t-butyl acetate with more traditional solvents. The present invention also discloses liquid compositions for direct use in cleaning metals, processes for preparing such liquid compositions, and processes for cleaning metal and/or plastic surfaces with a composition according to the invention.

Low pollution solvents and emulsions especially useful in cleaning soils from painted and unpainted metal and plastic surfaces

An advantageous effective cleaning solvent consisting essentially, according to one embodiment, of methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, isopropyl alcohol, toluene and n-butyl acetate, in certain ranges of proportions. Water also is included to aid in reducing the vapor pressure of the solvent. The composite vapor pressure of the solvent, at 20° C., neglecting the vapor pressure contribution of water, is not greater than 35 mm of mercury. The invention solvent is particularly effective as a paint cleaner, e.g. for cleaning paint guns.

Paul A. Hatcher

Papers

Low vapor pressure solvent