Method and system for magnetic actuated mixing

• US 9,358,513 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2013
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Liu, Yu, Lee, Frank Ping-Hay, Zhou, Ke, Wang, Yulin
• Primary Examiner(s): SORKIN, DAVID L
• Application Number:
  US13/860,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20140307519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 366/273, 366/274
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/251 using balls as loose mixing element
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/30 Micromixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/451 wherein the mixture is directly exposed to an electromagnetic field without use of a stirrer, e.g. for material comprising ferromagnetic particles or for molten metal
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/452 using independent floating stirring elements
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 17/005 the charge being turned over by magnetic forces

Abstract

A method and system for magnetic actuated mixing which use magnetic particles and electromagnetic field to facilitate the mixing. The method and system use magnetic particles and a generated electromagnetic field to facilitate the milling as well. The method and system can be used in any application that requires the preparation of small-sized particles at either the micro or nano scale, including for example, preparing toners, inks, wax, pigment dispersions and the like.

Claims

1. A method for mixing one or more materials on a nano or micro scale, comprising:

a) adding one or more materials into a vessel;

b) adding magnetic particles into the vessel, wherein the magnetic particles have a particle diameter size of from about 5 nm to about 50 μ

m and are encapsulated in a polymeric shell;

c) applying a varying magnetic field to the magnetic particles to move the magnetic particles to mix the one or more materials in the vessel on a micro or nano scale, wherein the varying magnetic field is biased by another constant magnetic field;

d) mixing the one or more materials in the vessel until a desired particle size is achieved; and

e) collecting the magnetic particles for re-using at a later time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more materials includes materials used to make a toner, ink, wax, paint or photoreceptor material.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic particles are comprised of a, paramagnetic, ferromagnetic, ferrimagnetic or antiferromagnetic material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein from about 5% to about 80% volume percentage of magnetic particles are added to the vessel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field has a strength of from about 500 Gauss to about 50,000 Gauss.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field is applied through one or more electromagnets.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field is applied to drive magnetic particles in a circular, up and down, left and right, or triangular motion.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more electromagnets are circularly patterned with a uniform angular spacing.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the varying magnetic field is applied by moving a permanent magnet.

10. A method for mixing one or more materials on a nano or micro scale, comprising:

a) pre-loading magnetic particles into a vessel, wherein the varying magnetic field is biased by another constant magnetic field and further wherein the magnetic particles have a particle diameter size of from about 5 nm to about 50 μ

m and are encapsulated in a polymeric shell;

b) adding one or more materials into the vessel;

c) applying a varying magnetic field to the magnetic particles to move the magnetic particles to mix the one or more materials in the vessel on a micro or nano scale, wherein the varying magnetic field is applied from a source external to the vessel;

d) mixing the one or more materials in the vessel until a desired particle size is achieved; and

e) collecting the magnetic particles for re-using at a later time.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the magnetic particles are comprised of a paramagnetic, ferromagnetic, ferrimagnetic or antiferromagnetic material.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the magnetic field has a strength of from about 500 Gauss to about 50,000 Gauss.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the magnetic field is applied to drive the magnetic particles in a circular, up and down, left and right or triangular motion.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the varying magnetic field is applied by moving a permanent magnet.