Patent ID: 7973099

Claim:
A polymer composite, comprising: (a) heat-sensitive polymer resin particles; (b) particles of colorant or functional additive or both in association with the heat-sensitive polymer resin particles; and (c) a thermoplastic encapsulant to form a film around the associated polymer resin particles and colorant or additive particles, wherein the heat-sensitive polymer resin particles have a particle size ranging from about 500 to about 5,000 microns, wherein the colorant can have a particle size ranging from about 0.01 to about 10,000 microns, wherein the particles of heat-sensitive polymer resin particles and the particles of colorant or additive or both are affiliated as clusters of a discontinuous phase in a continuous phase of the thermoplastic encapsulant, and wherein the thermoplastic encapsulant has a solids content and is an emulsion of a styrene/acrylate copolymer or an aqueous dispersion of a biopolymer, wherein the solids content of the emulsion or the dispersion ranges from about 20 to about 60 weight percent.