Composite material

• US 9,215,891 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2012
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Porvair Filtration Group Ltd. (Porvair PLC)
• Original Assignee: Porvair Filtration Group Ltd. (Porvair PLC)
• Inventors: Nazir, Mozamal, Pert, Eric, Quinlan, Kevin, Taylor, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): CHIN, HUI H
• Application Number:
  US13/982,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20130323383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 524/493
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 2/74 using membranes, e.g. osmosis, ultrafiltration
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 2/80 by adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/273 using adsorption or absorption agents, resins, synthetic polymers, or ion exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2239/0407 comprising particulate additives, e.g. adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2323/40 in-situ membrane formation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2325/24 Mechanical properties, e.g. strength
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/16 of organic material, e.g. synthetic fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 67/00041 by sintering
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 67/0079 Manufacture of membranes comprising organic and inorganic components
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/147 containing embedded adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/148 Organic/inorganic mixed matrix membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/027 Silicium oxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/261 Polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/262 Polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/281 Polystyrene
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/301 Polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/441 Polyvinylpyrrolidone
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/76 Macromolecular material not specifically provided for in a single one of groups B01D71/08 - B01D71/74 rubbers in general B01D71/24
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/103 comprising silica
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/261 obtained by reactions only involving carbon to carbon unsaturated bonds macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds per se C08F
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/267 : Cross-linked polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28026 : Particles within, immobilised, dispersed, entrapped in or on a matrix, e.g. a resin
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28033 : Membrane, sheet, cloth, pad, lamellar or mat
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2220/445 : comprising a mixture of polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2220/46 : Materials comprising a mixture of inorganic and organic materials materials coated or impregnated on a carrier B01J20/32
• CPC Class Codes: C12H 1/0424 : with the aid of a polymer

Abstract

A porous formed composite material comprising: (i) a polymer, or a mixture thereof, said polymer having immobilised therein (ii) an insoluble sorbent material selected from the group consisting of: (a) a cross-linked vinyl lactam homopolymer or copolymer, said vinyl lactam homopolymer or copolymer being optionally mixed with silica gel; and (b) polyvinyl lactam-modified silica gel; is described. Solid phase extraction apparatus incorporating the material and its use in removing polyphenols and/or proteins from beverages to prevent the formation of haze in beverages are also described.

Claims

1. A porous formed composite material comprising:

(i) a polymer selected from polyethylene, polypropylene, and a mixture thereof, and;

(ii) an insoluble sorbent material selected from the group consisting of;

(a) a cross-linked vinyl lactam homopolymer or copolymer, said vinyl lactam homopolymer or copolymer being optionally mixed with silica gel; and

(b) polyvinyl lactam-modified silica gel;

the formation process causing the polymer (i) and insoluble sorbent material (ii) to be formed into a rigid unitary body such that the insoluble sorbent material is immobilised into the structure of the rigid unitary body.

2. A porous formed composite material according to claim 1, containing 2% to 38% by weight of the insoluble sorbent material (ii).

3. A porous formed composite material according to claim 1, containing 3% to 25% by weight of the insoluble sorbent material (ii).

4. A porous formed composite material according to claim 1, wherein the insoluble sorbent material (ii) is a cross-linked homopolymer or copolymer of vinyl pyrrolidone.

5. A porous formed composite material according to claim 4, wherein the insoluble sorbent material (ii) comprises polyvinyl polypyrrolidone (PVPP).

6. A porous formed composite material according to claim 5, wherein the degree of cross-linking of the PVPP is such that between 60% and 100% of the PVPP is insoluble.

7. A porous formed composite material according to claim 5, containing 2.5% to 35% by weight of polyvinyl polypyrrolidone.

8. A porous formed composite material according to claim 1, wherein the insoluble sorbent material (ii) comprises polyvinyl pyrrolidone-modified silica gel.

9. A porous formed composite material according to claim 8, containing 2.5% to 35% by weight of the polyvinyl pyrrolidone-modified silica gel.

10. A porous formed composite material according to claim 1, wherein the insoluble sorbent material (ii) comprises a mixture of silica gel and polyvinylpolypyrrolidone.

11. A porous formed composite material according to claim 10, wherein the insoluble sorbent material (ii) contains from 0.25% to 31.5% by weight of silica gel and 31.5% to 0.2% by weight of polyvinyl polypyrrolidone.

12. A porous formed composite material of claim 1, wherein the material has a shape selected from a frit, a sheet, a disc or a roll.

13. A solid phase extraction apparatus comprising the porous formed composite material of claim 1.

14. A method of manufacturing the porous formed composite material, the method comprising mixing:

(i) a polymer selected from polyethylene, polypropylene, and or a mixture thereof, and;

(ii) an insoluble sorbent material selected from the group consisting of;

(a) a cross-linked vinyl lactam homopolymer or copolymer, said vinyl lactam homopolymer or copolymer being optionally mixed with silica gel; and

(b) polyvinyl lactam-modified silica gel;

to form a rigid unitary body wherein the insoluble sorbent material is immobilized into the rigid unitary body.

15. A method of removing a substance selected from a polyphenol, a polypeptide and a protein from a beverage, the method comprising passing the beverage through a porous formed composite material comprising:

(i) a polymer selected from polyethylene, polypropylene, and a mixture thereof, said polymer having immobilised therein;

(ii) an insoluble sorbent material selected from the group consisting of;

(a) a cross-linked vinyl lactam homopolymer or copolymer, said vinyl lactam homopolymer or copolymer being optionally mixed with silica gel;

(b) polyvinyl lactam-modified silica gel; and

(c) silica gel.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the substance removed from the beverage is a polyphenol.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the polyphenol removed from the beverage is a tannoid and/or a flavonoid.

18. A method of preventing the formation of haze in a beverage, the method comprising passing the beverage through a porous formed composite material comprising:

(i) a polymer selected from polyethylene, polypropylene, and a mixture thereof, said polymer having immobilised therein

(ii) an insoluble sorbent material selected from the group consisting of;

(a) a cross-linked vinyl lactam homopolymer or copolymer, said homopolymer or copolymer being optionally mixed with silica gel;

(b) polyvinyl lactam-modified silica gel; and

(c) silica gel.

19. A method of removing a metal ion from a solution, the method comprising passing the solution through a porous formed composite material comprising:

(i) a polymer selected from polyethylene, polypropylene, and a mixture thereof, said polymer having immobilised therein;

(ii) an insoluble sorbent material selected from the group consisting of;

(a) a cross-linked vinyl lactam homopolymer or copolymer, said vinyl lactam homopolymer or copolymer being optionally mixed with silica gel;

(b) polyvinyl lactam-modified silica gel; and

(c) silica gel.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the metal ion is an iron ion.