Polymer Particle Manufacturing via Selective Solvent Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional polymer particle manufacturing processes are energy- and cost-inefficient, environmentally polluting, and difficult to standardize for mass production, as they require heating both solvents to the polymer's melting point, leading to high operating costs and facility expenses.
Innovation Solution
A method where only the polymer solution is heated to above the polymer's melting point, with simultaneous crystallization and washing, using solvents with specific Hansen relative energy differences to facilitate polymer particle formation without emulsion formation, allowing for controlled particle diameter and reduced energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If both good solvent and non-solvent are heated to or above the melting point of the polymer, then phase separation and crystallization can be induced to produce polymer particles, but energy consumption and operating costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the heating step from the conventional process by eliminating the need to heat the non-solvent. Only the good solvent containing the dissolved polymer is heated to the melting point, while the non-solvent is added at room temperature, thereby removing the energy-intensive step of heating both solvents.
Solution Approach 2:
The polymer is first dissolved in the good solvent and heated to the melting point to create a homogeneous solution. This preliminary dissolution and heating step ensures that when the non-solvent is subsequently added at room temperature, immediate phase separation and crystallization occur without requiring the non-solvent to be pre-heated.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional manufacturing processes are used to produce polymer particles, then polymer particles can be obtained through phase separation and crystallization, but the process is difficult to standardize and adapt to mass production
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameters of the process by eliminating the requirement to heat the non-solvent to high temperatures. This parameter modification simplifies the process conditions, making them more suitable for standardized manufacturing and mass production while maintaining controlled polymer particle formation through the temperature difference between the heated good solvent and room-temperature non-solvent.
3Manufacturing precision
If the manufacturing process requires heating both solvents to high temperatures, then polymer crystallization can be induced, but facility costs and operating expenses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heating step for the non-solvent is extracted and eliminated from the process. The crystallization is induced solely by the temperature difference between the heated good solvent and the room-temperature non-solvent, thereby reducing both facility requirements and operating expenses while maintaining effective polymer crystallization.
4Manufacturing precision
If conventional processes heat both solvents to the polymer melting point, then emulsion formation and phase separation occur, but the process requires complex filtration and washing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The good solvent is pre-heated to the polymer melting point and the polymer is completely dissolved before adding the non-solvent. This preliminary preparation ensures that upon adding the room-temperature non-solvent, immediate and complete phase separation occurs, producing well-defined polymer particles that require minimal subsequent filtration and washing, thereby simplifying the equipment needed.
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 approach simplifies the manufacturing process, reduces costs, and enables precise control over polymer particle size and distribution, enhancing the efficiency and environmental sustainability of polymer particle production.
Implementation Method 1
heating only a good solvent in which the polymer particles are dissolved to a high temperature
Implementation Method 2
the crystallization and washing of the polymer particles can be carried out simultaneously
Implementation Method 3
a dense emulsion is produced through inducing phase separation between the good solvent and the non-solvent
Data Source
AI summary
The present application relates to a polymer particle manufacturing method, and according to an example of the manufacturing method and a manufacturing apparatus therefor, a reduction in energy can be achieved by simplifying a manufacturing process thereof.