Gas anti-solvent recrystallization and application for the separation and subsequent processing of RDX and HMX
AssigneePhasex Corporation
InventorsPaula M. Gallagher, Val J. Krukonis, Michael P. Coffey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a process for recrystallizing materials that are ordinarily difficult-to-comminute. The process utilizes supercritical fluids and gasses at conditions near their respective vapor pressures which have the ability to dissolve in and expand liquid solutions. The process has been shown to be particularly effective at separating HMX and RDX thereby resulting in a precipitate of RDX which is essentially free of HMX.
Claims36
A process for separating mixtures of crystalline solids using gaseous, near critical, or supercritical fluids as anti-solvents, comprising the steps of
- dissolving a solid mixture containing at least two components which are to be separated in a common liquid solvent to form a solution;
- adding to the solution a volume a gaseous, near critical, or supercritical anti-solvent to induce precipitation of one component of the components of the solid mixture resulting in a precipitated component, and collecting the precipitated component.
A process for separating mixtures of crystalline solids using gaseous, near critical, or supercritical fluids as anti-solvents, comprised of the steps of
- dissolving a solid mixture containing at least two components which are to be separated in a liquid solvent to form a solution, the solid mixture being comprised of a major component and at least one minor component, the major component and at least one minor component having similar solubilities in the liquid solvent;
- adding to the solution a volume of a gaseous, near critical or supercritical anti-solvent to induce precipitation of one component of at least two components of the solid mixture resulting in a precipitated component;
- and collecting the precipitated component resulting in a reduction of the major component in the liquid solvent by at least tenfold.
A process for separating mixtures of crystalline solids using gaseous, near critical, or supercritical fluids as anti-solvents, comprising the steps of
- dissolving a solid mixture containing at least two components which are to be separated in a liquid solvent to form a solution, the solid mixture being comprised of a major component and at least one minor component, the major component and at least one minor component have dissimilar solubility;
- adding to the solution a volume of a gaseous near critical or supercritical anti-solvent to induce precipitation of one component of the solid mixture resulting in a precipitated component;
- and
- collecting the precipitated component resulting in a reduction of the major component in the liquid solvent by at least tenfold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.