Ultrafine particle and fiber production in microgravity
US4758267A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 23, 1985 |
| Grant date | Jul 19, 1988 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 23, 2005 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S75/96
- WIPO fieldPharmaceuticals
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
In a system and method for producing ultrafine particles and ultrafine fibers of a given source material by evaporating and condensing the material in a gas atmosphere that includes inert gas. A smaller, more narrow size distribution is accomplished by producing the particles and fibers in a microgravity environment in order to reduce particle coalescence caused by convection currents. Particle coalescence also is reduced in an Earth gravity environment by controlling the convection currents. Condensed particles are collected either by providing an electrostatic field or a spatially varying magnetic field or by causing the gas to move through a filter which collects the particles. Nonferromagnetic material fibers are produced and collected by electrodes which produce an electro- static field. Ferromagnetic particles are collected by spatially varying magnetic fields.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.