Cleaning process using carbon dioxide as a solvent and employing molecularly engineered surfactants
AssigneeThe University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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.
Claims31
A process for separating a contaminant from a substrate that carries the contaminant comprising:
- contacting said substrate with a non-aqueous carbon dioxide fluid containing an amphiphilic species so that said contaminant associates with said amphiphilic species and becomes entrained in said carbon dioxide fluid, said substrate selected from the group consisting of metals, ceramics, glass, and composite mixtures thereof;
- then
- separating said substrate from said non-aqueous carbon dioxide fluid having said contaminant entrained therein;
- and then
- separating said contaminant from said non-aqueous carbon dioxide fluid.
A process for separating a contaminant from a substrate that carries the contaminant comprising:
- contacting said substrate with a non-aqueous carbon dioxide fluid containing an amphiphilic species so that said contaminant associates with said amphiphilic species and becomes entrained in said non-aqueous carbon dioxide fluid, said substrate 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 non-aqueous carbon dioxide fluid containing an amphiphilic species so that said contaminant associates with said amphiphilic species and becomes entrained in said carbon dioxide fluid, wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of metals, ceramics, glass, and composite mixtures thereof;
- and then
- separating said contaminant from said non-aqueous carbon dioxide fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.