Cleaning process using carbon dioxide as a solvent and employing molecularly engineered surfactants
AssigneeUniversity of North Carolina
InventorsJoseph M. DeSimone, Timothy Romack, Douglas E. Betts, James B. McClain
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Abstract
The separation of a contaminant from a substrate that carries the contaminant is disclosed. The process comprises contacting the substrate to a carbon dioxide fluid containing an amphiphilic species so that the contaminant associates with the amphiphilic species and becomes entrained in the carbon dioxide fluid. The substrate is then separated from the carbon dioxide fluid, and then the contaminant is separated from the carbon dioxide fluid.
Claims30
A process for separating a contaminant from a substrate that carries the contaminant comprising:
- contacting said substrate with a carbon dioxide fluid containing an amphiphilic species, which amphiphilic species lowers the interfacial tension of the contaminant so that said contaminant associates with said amphiphilic species and becomes entrained in said carbon dioxide fluid, said substrate being selected from the group consisting of metals, ceramics, glass, and composite mixtures thereof;
- then
- separating said substrate from said carbon dioxide fluid having said contaminant entrained therein;
- and then
- separating said contaminant from said carbon dioxide fluid.
A process for separating a contaminant from a substrate that carries the contaminant comprising:
- contacting said substrate with a carbon dioxide fluid containing an amphiphilic species, which amphiphilic species lowers the interfacial tension of the contaminant so that said contaminant associates with said amphiphilic species and becomes entrained in said carbon dioxide fluid, said substrate being selected from the group consisting of metals, ceramics, glass, and composite mixtures thereof.
A process for separating a contaminant from a substrate that carries the contaminant comprising:
- contacting said substrate with a liquid carbon dioxide fluid containing an amphiphilic species so that said contaminant associates with said amphiphilic species and becomes entrained in said liquid carbon dioxide fluid, said substrate being selected from the group consisting of metals, ceramics, glass, and composite mixtures thereof;
- then
- separating said substrate from said liquid carbon dioxide fluid having said contaminant entrained therein;
- and then
- separating said contaminant from said liquid carbon dioxide fluid.
A process for separating a contaminant from a substrate that carries the contaminant comprising:
- contacting said substrate with a carbon dioxide fluid containing an amphiphilic species comprising a CO.sub.2 -philic segment so that said contaminant associates with said amphiphilic species and becomes entrained in said carbon dioxide fluid, said substrate being selected from the group consisting of metals, ceramics, glass, and composite mixtures thereof;
- then
- separating said substrate from said carbon dioxide fluid having said contaminant entrained therein;
- and then
- separating said contaminant from said carbon dioxide fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.