Patent · US Expired

Toxic material disposal

US5648591A · kind A · utility

18Cited by
4References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 16, 1995
Grant dateJul 15, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 16, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA62D2101/26
  • WIPO fieldMachine tools
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A process for the treatment of toxic materials, for example, inorganic compounds, halogenated organic compounds such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxin and dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDT) and chemical weapons such as Sarin and mustard. The process is based on the discovery that mechanical activation can induce chemical reactions which break down the molecular structure of toxic materials and form products which are simple, non-toxic compounds. The process involves subjecting a mixture of a toxic material and a suitable reagent to mechanical activation to produce a non-toxic end product or products. Mechanical activation is typically performed inside a mechanical mill, for example, a ball mill. Ball milling of various toxic materials with appropriate reagents was found to result in virtual total destruction of the toxic starting material.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.