Polymer Microparticles Narrow Particle Diameter Distribution
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional processes for producing polymer microparticles with high heat resistance, particularly crystalline polymers, face challenges such as high viscosity during emulsion formation and wider particle diameter distribution.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the formation of an emulsion at 100°C or higher, using a polymer (A) and polymer (B) with specific structural units, and a poor solvent, where the polymer (A) is precipitated at a temperature equal to or above its cooling crystallization temperature, ensuring phase separation and narrow particle diameter distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a highly heat-resistant polymer (crystalline polymer) is used to produce microparticles with high heat resistance, then the heat resistance of the microparticles is improved, but the viscosity of the system becomes high during emulsion formation and the particle diameter distribution becomes wider
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter during emulsion formation to 100°C or higher, which reduces the viscosity of the system and improves the particle diameter distribution. This temperature parameter change allows the highly heat-resistant polymer to be processed while maintaining narrow particle size distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes phase separation between two polymer solutions with different solubility parameters. By controlling the phase separation process and using a poor solvent to precipitate polymer A, the system achieves narrow particle diameter distribution while maintaining the heat resistance of the crystalline polymer.
2Reliability
If a highly heat-resistant polymer (crystalline polymer) is used to produce microparticles with high heat resistance, then the heat resistance of the microparticles is improved, but the viscosity of the system becomes high during emulsion formation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter during emulsion formation to 100°C or higher, which significantly reduces the viscosity of the system and makes emulsion formation easier. This high-temperature processing enables the use of highly heat-resistant polymers while maintaining ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes phase separation between two polymer solutions with different solubility parameters. By controlling the phase separation process and using a poor solvent to precipitate polymer A, the system achieves narrow particle diameter distribution while maintaining the heat resistance of the crystalline polymer.
3Device complexity
If conventional emulsion formation process is used for highly heat-resistant polymer, then the process is simple, but the particle diameter distribution becomes wider
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter during emulsion formation to 100°C or higher, which reduces the viscosity of the system and improves the particle diameter distribution. This parameter change maintains process simplicity while achieving narrow particle size distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes phase separation between two polymer solutions with different solubility parameters. By controlling the phase separation process and using a poor solvent to precipitate polymer A, the system achieves narrow particle diameter distribution while maintaining the heat resistance of the crystalline polymer.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This process stabilizes the production of high-quality polymer microparticles with a narrow particle diameter distribution, suitable for applications like thin liquid crystal displays, by controlling the emulsion formation and precipitation conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a system which comprises a polymer (A), a polymer (B) and an organic solvent and can cause phase separation into two phases of a solution phase mainly composed of the polymer (A) and a solution phase mainly composed of the polymer (B)
Implementation Method 2
the polymer (A) is precipitated by bringing a poor solvent for the polymer (A) into contact with the emulsion
Implementation Method 3
forming of the emulsion is carried out at a temperature of 100 °C or higher
Implementation Method 4
the temperature at which said poor solvent is brought into contact with said emulsion for precipitating said polymer (A) after said emulsion is formed, is a temperature of a cooling crystallization temperature of said polymer (A) or higher
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(A)~2(B)
AI summary
A process for producing polymer microparticles, characterized in that, in a system which comprises a polymer (A), a polyvinyl alcohol group and an organic solvent and can cause the phase separation into two phases of a solution phase mainly composed of the polymer (A) and a solution phase mainly composed of the polyvinyl alcohol when the polymer (A), the polyvinyl alcohol group and the organic solvent are dissolved and mixed together, the polymer (A) is precipitated by heating the system at 100°C or higher to form an emulsion and thereafter bringing a poor solvent for the polymer (A) into contact with the emulsion; and polymer microparticles produced by the process. It becomes possible to produce microparticles of various types of polymers including a highly heat-resistant polymer stably at a high quality, and it becomes possible to produce microparticles having a small particle diameter distribution stably in a simple manner. Particularly, the microparticles of the present invention can be used as a material suitable for the concavo-convex formation on a reflector that is used in a thin liquid crystal display.