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US3943072A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Separation of molecules

Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
•
Filing: 1974-03-28
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Granted: 1976-03-09
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Expires: 1994-03-28
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Abstract

Abstract Porous material particularly suitable for selective sorption and retention of macromolecules are manufactured by mixing a finely divided inorganic material with a fugitive additive, forming into discrete particles and heat treating to remove fugitive additive. The fugitive additive is a solid which is preferably mixed with the inorganic material after dissolving the additive in a solvent which is not a solvent for the inorganic material.

Inventors

  • 👤 Alan Russell Thomson
  • 👤 Brynley John Miles

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 23:21
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01J; B01J20/00; B01J20/28; B01J20/28014; B01J20/28016; B01J20/28019; B01J20/28002; B01J20/28004; C; C07; C07H; C07H1/00; C07H1/06; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S435/00; Y10S435/814; Y10S435/815; Y10S502/00; Y10S502/506; Y10S502/507; Y10S502/509; Y10S502/511

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 155 words
A method for producing an inorganic material having interconnected porosity throughout the material for the selective retention of predetermined molecules from a fluid substance containing said molecules including the steps of: mixing a finely divided, substantially insoluble, sorptive, inorganic material, capable of sorbing the molecules, with a solid fugitive additive to form a mixture, including in the mixture a solvent to dissolve fugitive additive in the solvent, said inorganic material being substantially insoluble in said solvent, forming discrete particles from the mixture, and heating the particles to remove solvent and fugitive additive to produce discrete particles of said inorganic material having an interconnected pore structure throughout said discrete particles providing an extended surface area, the pore size being such as will allow said predetermined molecules in said fluid substance to permeate the inorganic particles and be sorbed, said inorganic material being substantially unaffected by said heating utilized to effect removal of solvent and fugitive additive.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 155 words
A method for producing an inorganic material having interconnected porosity throughout the material for the selective retention of predetermined molecules from a fluid substance containing said molecules including the steps of: mixing a finely divided, substantially insoluble, sorptive, inorganic material, capable of sorbing the molecules, with a solid fugitive additive to form a mixture, including in the mixture a solvent to dissolve fugitive additive in the solvent, said inorganic material being substantially insoluble in said solvent, forming discrete particles from the mixture, and heating the particles to remove solvent and fugitive additive to produce discrete particles of said inorganic material having an interconnected pore structure throughout said discrete particles providing an extended surface area, the pore size being such as will allow said predetermined molecules in said fluid substance to permeate the inorganic particles and be sorbed, said inorganic material being substantially unaffected by said heating utilized to effect removal of solvent and fugitive additive.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 33 words
A method for producing a material for the selective retention of predetermined molecules from a fluid substance containing said molecules according to claim 1, wherein a binding agent is included in the mixture.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the fugitive additive is selected from the group consisting of ammonium carbonate, haemoglobin, dextran, polyvinyl alcohol, urea, bovine serum albumin and ovalbumin.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 29 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein the fugitive additive is selected from the group consisting of ammonium carbonate, haemoglobin, dextran, polyvinyl alcohol, urea, bovine serum albumin and ovalbumin.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 35 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the finely divided, substantially insoluble, sorptive, inorganic material is selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, aluminum oxide, barium sulphate, calcium phosphate, zirconium oxide and calcium sulphate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 35 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein the finely divided, substantially insoluble, sorptive, inorganic material is selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, aluminium oxide, barium sulphate, calcium phosphate, zirconium oxide and calcium sulphate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the finely divided, substantially insoluble, sorptive, inorganic material is a natural earth.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein the finely divided, substantially insoluble, sorptive, inorganic material is a natural earth.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 15 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the particles produced are substantially spherical in shape.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the particles produced have a size in the range 50-600 μ diameter.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 31 words
An inorganic material having interconnected porosity throughout the material for the selective retention of predetermined molecules from a fluid substance, said inorganic material being made by the process of claim 1.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2593720A Cited
US2697066A Cited
US2755236A Cited
US2840530A Cited
US3417028A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1979-03-09 1979-09-08 1980-03-09 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1983-03-09 1983-09-08 1984-03-09 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1987-03-09 1987-09-08 1988-03-09 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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