Slurry coating method for agglomeration of molding powders requiring immiscible lacquer solvents

An aqueous slurry process for preparing HE agglomerates using a lacquer solvent that is substantially immiscible in water comprising the steps of:

• preparing a lacquer, the lacquer comprising a binder material dissolved in a substantially aqueous-immiscible organic solvent;
• providing a reaction vessel having an impeller/chamber configuration;
• suspending a quantity of a non-aqueous soluble HE powder in an aqueous solution of an at least partially aqueous-miscible organic solvent in the reaction vessel with continuous stirring at an appropriate suspending temperature and stir rpm to form an aqueous HE powder slurry;
• adding an amount of the lacquer to the aqueous HE powder slurry in the reaction vessel to form an reaction mixture;
• increasing the temperature of the reaction mixture and removing the solvents from the reaction vessel to cause the agglomeration of the HE powder;
• and
• allowing the HE powder to agglomerate to the desired degree to provide HE agglomerates.

An aqueous slurry process for preparing HE agglomerates using a lacquer solvent that is substantially immiscible in water and eliminating an organic solvent contaminated waste water stream comprising the steps of:

• preparing a lacquer, the lacquer comprising a binder material dissolved in a substantially aqueous-immiscible organic solvent;
• providing a reaction vessel having an impeller/chamber configuration;
• suspending a quantity of a non-aqueous soluble HE powder in an aqueous solution of an at least partially aqueous-miscible organic solvent in the reaction vessel with continuous stirring at an appropriate suspending temperature and stir rpm to form an aqueous HE powder slurry;
• adding an amount of the lacquer to the aqueous HE powder slurry in the reaction vessel to form an reaction mixture;
• increasing the temperature comprises increasing the temperature of the reaction mixture to between about 65° C. and about 100° C. and removing the solvents from the reaction vessel to cause the agglomeration of the HE powder;
• re-solvating the reaction mixture by the addition of water and removing organic solvent from the reaction vessel until water is substantially the only solvent remaining in the reaction mixture;
• and
• allowing the HE powder to agglomerate to the desired degree to provide HE agglomerates, and providing waste water from which the organic solvent is substantially eliminated.