Fabricating structured particles through rapid hardening and tailored collection methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019291067-A1
Application number	US-201815928522-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 22, 2018
Priority date	Mar 22, 2018
Publication date	Sep 26, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Fabrication of functional polymer-based particles by crosslinking UV-curable polymer drops in mid-air and collecting crosslinked particles in a solid container, a liquid suspension, or an air flow. The particles can contain different phases in the form or layered structures that contain one to multiple cores, or structures that are blended with dissolved or emulsified smaller domains. A curing system produces ultraviolet rays that are directed onto the particles in the jet stream from one side. A reflector positioned on other side of the jet stream reflects the ultraviolet rays back onto the particles in the jet stream.

First claim

1 . An apparatus for fabricating structured particles, comprising:
a fluid jet forming unit that produces a fluid jet stream; a material supply connected to said fluid jet forming unit that feeds material into said fluid jet forming unit, wherein said fluid jet stream is made of said material; a vibration system positioned proximate said fluid jet stream that imparts vibration to said fluid jet stream and produces a particle fluid jet stream having discrete droplets made of said material; a curing system positioned proximate said particle fluid jet stream that cures said discrete droplets and produces cured droplets; and a collection system that receives said cured droplets thereby providing the structured particles.

2 . The apparatus for fabricating structured particles of claim 1 wherein said particle fluid jet stream has one side and another side opposite side said one side, wherein said curing system is a curing system that produces ultraviolet rays that are directed onto said particle fluid jet stream from said one side, further comprising at least one reflector positioned on said other side of said particle fluid jet stream that reflects said ultraviolet rays back onto said particle fluid jet stream.

3 . The apparatus for fabricating structured particles of claim 1 wherein said material is comprised of a single component.

4 . The apparatus for fabricating structured particles of claim 1 wherein said material is comprised of a first component and a second component.

5 . The apparatus for fabricating structured particles of claim 4 wherein said discrete droplets are made of an internal core of said first component and a shell made of said second component and wherein said shell made of said second component completely surrounds said internal core of said first component.

6 . The apparatus for fabricating structured particles of claim 1 wherein said material is comprised of a first component, a second component, and a third component.

7 . The apparatus for fabricating structured particles of claim 6 wherein said discrete droplets are made of an internal core of said first component, a shell made of said second component wherein said shell made of said second component completely surrounds said internal core of said first component, and a second shell made of said third component wherein said second shell made of said third component completely surrounds said internal core of said first component and said shell made of said second component.

8 . The apparatus for fabricating structured particles of claim 6 wherein said discrete droplets are made of an internal core of said first component, a shell made of said second component wherein said shell made of said second component completely surrounds said internal core of said first component, and particles within said internal core of said first component wherein said particles are made of said third component.

9 . The apparatus for fabricating structured particles of claim 6 wherein said discrete droplets are made of an internal core of said first component, a shell made of said second component wherein said shell made of said second component completely surrounds said internal core of said first component, and a matrix within said internal core of said first component wherein said matrix is made of said third component.

10 . The apparatus for fabricating structured particles of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is affected by gravity having a direction of gravity and wherein said fluid jet forming unit that produces said fluid jet stream is positioned to produce said fluid jet stream and said particle fluid jet stream that run in said direction of gravity.

11 . The apparatus for fabricating structured particles of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is affected by gravity having a direction of gravity and wherein said fluid jet forming unit that produces said fluid jet stream is positioned to produce said fluid jet stream and said particle fluid jet stream that run against said direction of gravity.

12 . The apparatus for fabricating structured particles of claim 11 wherein said fluid jet stream is positioned to produce said fluid jet stream and said particle fluid jet stream that run at an angle against said direction of gravity.

13 . The apparatus for fabricating structured particles of claim 12 wherein said collection system is positioned at an angle against said direction of gravity.

14 . The apparatus for fabricating structured particles of claim 13 further comprising a rinsing system positioned between said curing system and said collection system.

15 . The apparatus for fabricating structured particles of claim 10 further comprising a hardening system positioned proximate said particle fluid jet stream and said discrete droplets that hardens said discrete droplets.

16 . The apparatus for fabricating structured particles of claim 10 further comprising an overflow unit positioned proximate said collection system that directs said cured droplets from said collection system.

17 . The apparatus for fabricating structured particles of claim 1 further comprising additional fluid jet forming units that produce additional particle fluid jet streams wherein said additional fluid jet forming units are positioned together to form ganged fluid jet forming units.

18 . An apparatus for fabricating structured particles, comprising:
a fluid jet forming unit that produces a fluid jet stream; a first material supply connected to said fluid jet forming unit that feeds a first material into said fluid jet forming unit; a second material supply connected to said fluid jet forming unit that feeds a second material into said fluid jet forming unit, wherein said fluid jet stream is made of said first material and said second material; a vibration system positioned proximate said fluid jet stream that imparts vibration to said fluid jet stream and produces a particle fluid jet stream having discrete droplets with an internal core made of said first material and a shell made of said second material wherein said shell made of said second material completely surrounds said internal core of said first material; wherein said particle fluid jet stream has one side and another side opposite side said one side, wherein said curing system is a curing system that produces ultraviolet rays that are directed onto said particle fluid jet stream from said one side; a curing system positioned proximate said particle fluid jet stream that produces ultraviolet rays that are directed onto said particle fluid jet stream from said one side; at least one reflector positioned on said other side of said particle fluid jet stream that reflects said ultraviolet rays back onto said particle fluid jet stream; a collection system that receives said discrete droplets thereby providing the structured particles.

19 . A method of fabricating structured particles, comprising:
providing a fluid jet forming unit adapted to produce a fluid jet stream; supplying a material to said fluid jet forming unit wherein said fluid jet stream is made of said material; using said fluid jet forming unit to produce said fluid jet stream; providing a vibration system positioned proximate said fluid jet stream wherein said vibration unit is adapted to impart vibration to said fluid jet stream; using said vibration system to impart vibration to said fluid jet stream and produce a particle fluid jet stream having discrete droplets wherein said droplets are made of said material; providing a curing system positioned prox

Assignees

• L Livermore Nat Security Llc
• Purdue Research Foundation

Inventors

• Ye Congwang
• Aines Roger D
• Baker Sarah E
• Cook Caitlyn Christian
• Duoss Eric B
• Kuntz Joshua D
• Lee Elaine
• Oakdale James S
• Pascall Andrew J
• Stolaroff Joshuah K
• Worsley Marcus A
• Martinez Carlos J

Classifications

• B01J13/22

  Coating · CPC title

• B01J13/206

  Hardening; drying · CPC title

• B01J13/14

  Polymerisation; cross-linking · CPC title

• B01J2/04 Primary

  in a gaseous medium {(if combined with suspending the material in a gas, e.g. fluidised beds B01J2/16)} · CPC title

• B01J2/18

  using a vibrating apparatus · CPC title