SUPERCRITICAL FLUID NUCLEATION - AN IMPROVED ULTRA-FINE PARTICLE FORMATION PROCESS

RESEARCH ON THE FORMATION OF ULTRAFINE PARTICLES USING SUPERCRITICAL FLUID NUCLEATION IS PROPOSED IN ANSWER TO A NEED FOR A NEW PROCESS TO PRODUCE MICRON OR SUBMICRON PARTICLES OF REFRACTORY SOLID MATERIALS. DATA ARE PRESENTED WHICH SHOW THE CONCEPT IS TECHNICALLY SOUND. THE RESEARCH WILL RESULT IN THE DETERMINATION OF THE FUNDAMENTAL SCALING FACTORS. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THE PHASE I AND PHASE II EFFORT WILL ESTABLISH THAT SUPERCRITICAL FLUID NUCLEATION IS A TECHNICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY SUPERIOR PROCESS FOR PRODUCING ULTRAFINE PARTICLES OF SUCH MATERIALS AS LABILE CHEMICALS AND PHARMACEUTICALS, "SOFT" BIOLOGICALS, AND SENSITIVE EXPLOSIVES THAT MUST BE MADE IN INCREASINGLY SMALLER SIZE BECAUSE OF INCREASED PERFORMANCE DEMANDS.