Mediating electrostatic separation
AssigneeMBA Polymers, Inc.
InventorsLaurence E. Allen, III, Brian L. Riise
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods, systems and media for separating polymer mixtures. A mixture including polymeric components is provided. A particulate media is added to the mixture, where the particulate media can selectively mediate a triboelectric charging of the polymer mixture. The media includes a polymeric material having a selected position within an electrostatic charging sequence and a functional additive. The mixture is triboelectrically charged with the media. Two or more components of the polymer mixture are separated according to the triboelectric charge. A portion of the particulate media can be recovered using a recovery process, where the functional additive is selected for compatibility with the recovery process.
Claims18
A method of separating a polymer mixture, comprising:
- providing a mixture including polymeric components;
- adding to the mixture a particulate media for selectively mediating a triboelectric charging of the mixture, the particulate media including a polymeric material having a selected position within an electrostatic charging sequence and a functional additive, wherein the functional additive is incorporated into the polymeric material;
- triboelectrically charging the mixture with the particulate media;
- separating two or more components of the mixture according to the triboelectric charge;
- and
- recovering at least a portion of the particulate media using a recovery process, wherein the functional additive is selected for compatibility with the recovery process.
A method of separating a polymer mixture, comprising:
- providing a mixture including polymeric components;
- adding to the mixture a particulate media for selectively mediating a triboelectric charging of the mixture, the particulate media including a polymeric material having a selected position within an electrostatic charging sequence, the particulate media including a conductive additive;
- electrically charging the particulate media with a high voltage source;
- triboelectrically charging the mixture with the particulate media;
- and
- separating two or more components of the mixture according to a triboelectric charge of the polymeric components.
A method of separating a polymer mixture, comprising:
- providing a mixture including polymeric components;
- adding to the mixture a particulate media for selectively mediating a triboelectric charging of the mixture, the particulate media including a polymeric material having a selected position within an electrostatic charging sequence and a ferromagnetic additive, wherein the ferromagnetic additive is incorporated into the polymeric material;
- triboelectrically charging the mixture with the media;
- and
- separating two or more components of the mixture according to a triboelectric charge of the polymeric components.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.