PROCESSES FOR DISPERSING SUBSTANCES AND PREPARING COMPOSITE MATERIALS
First Claim
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1. A process, comprising:
- providing a nanocarrier dispersion comprising a dilute concentration of individual nanoparticles dispersed or dissolved in a nanocarrier solvent, the nanocarrier solvent characterized as being soluble in a viscous medium, the nanocarrier dispersion having a viscosity substantially lower than the viscosity of the viscous medium;
contacting the nanocarrier dispersion within the viscous medium, at least a portion of the nanocarrier solvent diffusing out of the nanocarrier dispersion and into the viscous medium; and
continuously removing the nanocarrier solvent from the viscous medium to give rise to a plurality of nanoparticles dispersed or dissolved in the viscous medium.
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are processes for dispersing a plurality of unaggregated particles, such as nanoparticles and microparticles, in a viscous medium. The dispersions can be used for making a variety of useful materials, such as carbon nanotube composites.
25 Citations
138 Claims
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1. A process, comprising:
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providing a nanocarrier dispersion comprising a dilute concentration of individual nanoparticles dispersed or dissolved in a nanocarrier solvent, the nanocarrier solvent characterized as being soluble in a viscous medium, the nanocarrier dispersion having a viscosity substantially lower than the viscosity of the viscous medium; contacting the nanocarrier dispersion within the viscous medium, at least a portion of the nanocarrier solvent diffusing out of the nanocarrier dispersion and into the viscous medium; and continuously removing the nanocarrier solvent from the viscous medium to give rise to a plurality of nanoparticles dispersed or dissolved in the viscous medium. - View Dependent Claims (3, 7, 8, 11, 14, 18, 19)
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2. (canceled)
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4-6. -6. (canceled)
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9-10. -10. (canceled)
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12-13. -13. (canceled)
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15-17. -17. (canceled)
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20. A method of dispersing particles in a viscous fluid, comprising:
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providing an particle solution comprising solvent, particles, and polymer, the particle solution being characterized as comprising well dispersed individual particles and said solvent characterized as being more soluble in water than in the viscous fluid; continuously contacting droplets of the particle solution with the viscous fluid in a droplet contact zone to form a mixture comprising the particles, the solvent, and the viscous fluid; transporting the droplets of the particle solution away from the droplet contact zone, the transported droplets being richer in solvent exterior to the droplet zone, the particles and polymer entering the viscous fluid; and contacting the viscous fluid with an aqueous phase at an interface zone located exterior to the droplet contact zone while simultaneously extracting at least a portion of the solvent out of the viscous fluid. - View Dependent Claims (25, 40, 62, 75, 79, 81, 83, 85, 86, 96, 107, 112, 126, 130, 131)
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21-24. -24. (canceled)
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26-39. -39. (canceled)
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41-61. -61. (canceled)
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63-74. -74. (canceled)
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76-78. -78. (canceled)
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87-95. -95. (canceled)
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108-111. -111. (canceled)
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113-125. -125. (canceled)
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127-129. -129. (canceled)
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132. A method of dispersing particles in a viscous medium, comprising:
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providing an particle solution comprising a plurality of particles and a solvent, the particle solution being characterized as comprising essentially well dispersed individual particles, and said solvent characterized as being more soluble in water than in the viscous medium; contacting the particle solution with the fluid medium in a dispersion zone to form a one-phase mixture comprising the particles, the solvent, and the fluid medium; and contacting said one-phase mixture with an aqueous phase at an interface zone located exterior to the dispersion zone while simultaneously extracting at least a portion of the solvent out of the one-phase mixture and into the aqueous phase. - View Dependent Claims (133, 134)
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135. A method of dispersing particles in an fluid medium, comprising:
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providing an particle solution comprising a plurality of particles and a solvent, the particle solution being characterized as comprising essentially well dispersed individual particles, and said solvent characterized as being more soluble in water than in the fluid medium; contacting the particle solution with the fluid medium in a dispersion zone to form a one-phase mixture comprising the particles, the solvent, and the fluid medium, said contacting occurring while simultaneously sonicating both the particle solution and the fluid medium in the dispersion zone; and contacting said one-phase mixture with an aqueous phase at an interface zone located exterior to the dispersion zone while simultaneously extracting at least a portion of the solvent out of the one-phase mixture and into the aqueous phase. - View Dependent Claims (136, 137)
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138-140. -140. (canceled)
Specification