Method of forming polymer particles
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing polymer particles comprising:
- i) providing an oil in water emulsion, wherein the oil phase comprises a volatile solvent, at least one water insoluble polymer wherein the volatile solvent has a solubility of not more than 10% in water and the water insoluble polymer has a weight average molecular weight of at least 2000, said water insoluble polymer being soluble in the volatile solvent;
ii) supplying the emulsion to a rotating surface of a rotating surface reactor;
iii) maintaining the temperature of the rotating surface at a boiling point of said solvent or greater;
iv) operating the rotating surface reactor so that the rotating surface spins at a speed sufficient to cause the emulsion to spread over the rotating surface as a continuously flowing thin film wherein a vapor phase containing the volatile solvent is removed; and
v) collecting the water insoluble polymer particles as a slurry of polymer particles.
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Abstract
The present invention is a method of manufacturing polymer particles. The method includes providing an oil in water emulsion, wherein the oil phase comprises a volatile solvent and at least one water insoluble polymer. The volatile solvent has a solubility of not more than 10% in water and the water insoluble polymer has a weight average molecular weight of at least 2000. The water insoluble polymer is soluble in the volatile solvent. The emulsion is supplied to a rotating surface of a rotating surface reactor. The temperature of the rotating surface is maintained at the boiling point of said solvent or greater. The rotating surface of the reactor spins at a speed sufficient to cause the emulsion to spread over the rotating surface as a continuously flowing thin film wherein a vapor phase containing the volatile solvent is removed. The water insoluble polymer particles are then collected as a slurry of polymer particles and water.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing polymer particles comprising:
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i) providing an oil in water emulsion, wherein the oil phase comprises a volatile solvent, at least one water insoluble polymer wherein the volatile solvent has a solubility of not more than 10% in water and the water insoluble polymer has a weight average molecular weight of at least 2000, said water insoluble polymer being soluble in the volatile solvent; ii) supplying the emulsion to a rotating surface of a rotating surface reactor; iii) maintaining the temperature of the rotating surface at a boiling point of said solvent or greater; iv) operating the rotating surface reactor so that the rotating surface spins at a speed sufficient to cause the emulsion to spread over the rotating surface as a continuously flowing thin film wherein a vapor phase containing the volatile solvent is removed; and v) collecting the water insoluble polymer particles as a slurry of polymer particles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification