Rotary Vacuum Reactor for Uniform Particle Thin-Film Coating

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing coating techniques for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) result in non-uniform coatings, particle agglomeration, and are not scalable for high-volume manufacturing, leading to inconsistent drug formulations and high manufacturing costs.

Innovation Solution

A rotary vacuum chamber system with a paddle assembly and chemical delivery system that rotates particles and injects process gas through gas outlets on the paddles, ensuring uniform coating by centrifuging particles against the chamber wall and agitating the particle bed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If spray coating is used to coat API particles, then the coating process is industrially scalable, but coating non-uniformities occur and particle agglomeration is caused

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindustrial scalabilityVSAvoidcoating uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical spray coating system with a chemical vapor deposition system. Instead of using liquid spray to deposit coating material, the invention uses gaseous precursors that chemically deposit uniform thin films on particles through chemical reactions, eliminating the mechanical agglomeration and non-uniformity problems of spray coating while maintaining industrial scalability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical state of the coating material from liquid (spray) to gas (vapor). By using gaseous precursors that chemically deposit on particles, the system achieves uniform coating at the molecular level while maintaining high throughput capability, thus resolving the contradiction between scalability and uniformity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If plasma polymerization is used to coat particles, then uniform coating can be achieved, but the technique is difficult to scale and can result in degradation of sensitive APIs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoating uniformityVSAvoidscalability

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces plasma polymerization with chemical vapor deposition using gaseous precursors. This substitution eliminates the high-energy plasma field that degrades sensitive APIs while maintaining the ability to produce uniform coatings through controlled chemical reactions, and enables easier scaling to industrial volumes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the energy level and mechanism of coating deposition. Instead of using high-energy plasma that damages API molecules, the invention uses lower-energy chemical vapor deposition where gaseous precursors chemically react to form uniform coatings, thus achieving both uniformity and scalability without API degradation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If hot wire CVD is used to coat particles, then coating can be performed, but API degradation occurs and the system is not scalable for high volume manufacturing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoating capabilityVSAvoidAPI degradation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the temperature and energy parameters of the coating process. By using chemical vapor deposition with gaseous precursors at controlled temperatures, the system avoids the extreme heat conditions of hot wire CVD that degrade APIs, while maintaining coating capability and enabling high-volume manufacturing scalability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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

Achieves uniform coating within and between particles, enabling high-volume manufacturing with lower costs and consistent drug formulation properties.

Implementation Method 1

rotating the rotary vacuum chamber in a first direction about an axial axis... at a rotation speed sufficient to force the multiple particles to be centrifuged against the inner diameter of the rotary vacuum chamber

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 2

a chemical delivery system configured to inject a process gas into the particles

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChemical vapor deposition: Chemical Vapour Deposition

Implementation Method 3

a vacuum port to exhaust gas from the rotary vacuum chamber

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum: Vacuum

Data Source

PatentUS12421601B2Rotary reactor for uniform particle coating with thin films

Publication Date: 2025.09.23 APPLIED MATERIALS INC

AI summary

A reactor for coating particles includes one or more motors, a rotary vacuum chamber configured to hold particles to be coated, wherein the rotary vacuum chamber is coupled to the motors, a controller configured to cause the motors to rotate the rotary vacuum chamber about an axial axis of the rotary vacuum chamber such that the particles undergo tumbling agitation, a vacuum port to exhaust gas from the rotary vacuum chamber, a paddle assembly including a rotatable drive shaft extending through the rotary vacuum chamber and coupled to the motors and at least one paddle extending radially from the drive shaft, such that rotation of the drive shaft by the motors orbits the paddle about the drive shaft in a second direction, and a chemical delivery system including a gas outlet on the paddle configured inject process gas into the particles.