Method and system for magnetic actuated mixing

• US 9,656,225 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2016
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Wang, Yulin, Zhou, Ke, Liu, Yu, Lee, Frank Ping-Hay
• Primary Examiner(s): SORKIN, DAVID L
• Application Number:
  US15/073,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20160193578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 366273, 366274
• 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 system for mixing one or more materials on a nano or micro scale, comprising:

a) a vessel for holding one or more materials;

b) magnetic particles for mixing the one or more materials, 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, and further wherein from about 5% to about 80% volume percentage of magnetic particles are added to the vessel;

c) a source for 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 magnetic field is a cyclic magnetic field; and

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

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the source for applying the varying magnetic field applies the varying magnetic field to the magnetic particles periodically.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the source for applying the varying magnetic field applies the varying magnetic field to the magnetic particles continuously.

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

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more materials includes a resin and a solvent.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more materials includes one or more additives selected from the group consisting of a surfactant, a pigment, a neutralization agent and mixtures thereof.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the vessel is non-metallic.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the vessel is comprised of glass or plastic.

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

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the magnetic particles are pre-loaded into the vessel.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the magnetic particles are loaded into the vessel after the one or more materials are added.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein from about 10% to about 50% volume percentage of magnetic particles are added to the vessel.

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

14. The system 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.

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

a) a vessel for holding one or more materials;

b) magnetic particles for mixing the one or more materials, 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, and further wherein from about 5% to about 80% volume percentage of magnetic particles are added to the vessel;

c) a source for 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, and further wherein the magnetic field is a cyclic magnetic field; and

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

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

a) a vessel for holding one or more materials;

b) magnetic particles for mixing the one or more materials, 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, and further wherein from about 5% to about 80% volume percentage of magnetic particles are added to the vessel;

c) one or more magnets for 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 magnetic field is a cyclic magnetic field; and

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

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more magnets are electromagnets.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more electromagnets are circularly patterned with a uniform angular spacing.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the varying magnetic field is applied by moving a permanent magnet.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the magnetic field is applied to drive magnetic particles in a chaotic or random motion.