Magnetic separation method utilizing a colloid of magnetic particles
AssigneePurdue Research Foundation
InventorsFritz J. Friedlaender, Makoto Takayasu, Jiann-Yang Hwang, Leon Petrakis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of magnetically separating particles having different magnetic susceptibilities. A magnetic field is established in a colloidal suspension of magnetic particles which distribute to form a magnetic susceptibility gradient. The particles to be separated are introduced into the colloidal suspension. The introduced particles migrate along the magnetic susceptibility gradient to different regions having approximately the same magnetic susceptibilities as the introduced particles.
Claims14
In a fluid comprising a colloidal suspension of first magnetic particles, a method of magnetically separating second particles, the second particles comprising a plurality of particle fractions having different magnetic susceptibilites, the method comprising the steps of introducing the second particles into the fluid, and establishing a magnetic susceptibility gradient through the fluid by establishing a magnetic field gradient through the fluid to cause the colloidally suspended first particles to form the magnetic susceptibility gradient through the fluid to cause the second particles to separate generally along the magnetic susceptibility gradient according to their respective magnetic susceptibilities.
A method for magnetically separating particles having different magnetic susceptibilities comprising the steps of introducing into a container of a fluid comprising a colloidal suspension of first magnetic particles, second particles comprising a plurality of particle fractions having different magnetic susceptibilities, with the second particles to be separated according to their different magnetic susceptibilities, establishing a magnetic field gradient across the container to cause a spatial distribution of the colloidally suspended first particles to form a magnetic susceptibility gradient across the container to cause a spatial distribution of the second particles related to the respective magnetic susceptibilities of the individual second particle fractions, the container including means defining outlets disposed across the bottom of the container in the direction of the magnetic susceptibility gradient, and withdrawing the spatially distributed second particle fractions through respective ones of the outlets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.