Method of forming particles
AssigneeFerro Corporation
InventorsBoris Shekunov, Pratibhash Chattopadhyay, Jeffrey Seitzinger
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method of forming particles that involves contacting a solution, which includes a solute and/or other material to be precipitated dissolved or dispersed in a solvent, with a first compressed or liquefied gas at an initial temperature to form a mixture. The mixture is then expanded at a first temperature to form droplets. Depending upon the composition of the droplets and the first temperature, the droplets may be in a solid state or a liquid state. The droplets are then contacted with an extracting fluid at a second temperature to extract the solvent from the droplets. The method can be used to produce micro and nanoparticles suitable for various drug delivery systems.
Claims20
A method of forming particles comprising:
- providing a solution comprising a solute dispersed or dissolved in a solvent;
- contacting the solution with a first compressed or liquefied gas at an initial temperature to form a mixture;
- expanding the mixture at a first temperature to form droplets;
- contacting the droplets with an extracting fluid at a second temperature at which the solvent is extracted from the droplets to form particles comprising the solute;
- and
- separating the particles from the extracting fluid and solvent.
A method of forming particles comprising:
- providing a solution comprising a solute dispersed or dissolved in a solvent;
- injecting the solution subsurface into an extracting fluid at a rate sufficient to cause the injected solution to form droplets within the extracting fluid;
- extracting the solvent from the droplets to form particles comprising the solute;
- and
- separating the particles from the extracting fluid and solvent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.