EXPLORATORY DEVELOPMENT ON A NEW NITROGUANIDINE RECRYSTALLIZATION PROCESS

THE CURRENT PROCESS PRODUCES 100 MICRON NEEDLESHAPED PARTICLES OF NITROGUANIDINE WHICH ARE NOT SATISFACTORY FOR HIGH SOLIDS CONTENT FORMULATION; 400-600 MICRON SIZED SPHERICAL OR CUBICAL PARTICLES ARE DESIRED. EXPLORATORY DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW PROCESS USING SUPERCRITICALFLUIDS IS DESCRIBED. THE CONCEPT IS BASED UPON THE ABILITY OF A SUPERCRITICAL FLUID TO ACT AS A NUCLEATING MEDIUM OR TO DISSOLVE IN A NITROGUANIDINE SOLUTION CAUSING PRECIPITATION OF PARTICLES. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM ARE: 1. DETERMINE THE RANGE OF PROCESS PARAMETERS THAT WILL RESULT IN THE FORMULATION OF 400-600 MICRON SIZED NITROGUANIDINE PARTICLES. 2. DELIVER 1 KG OF THE IMPROVED NITROGUANIDINE CRYSTALS FOR EVALUATION. 3. PREPARE A FLOW CHART AND CARRY OUT A PRELIMINARY ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF THE SUPERCRITICAL FLUID NUCLEATING PROCESS.