Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
196 words
In a process for producing composite porous flakes by spray drying, the improvement which comprises the steps of continuously: a. forming a polymer melt containing 10 to 75 parts by weight of a thermoplastic polymer, b. forming a first uniformly dispersed slurry containing 25 to 90 parts of inorganic particles dispersed in an organic solvent for the polymer, said solvent having a boiling point lower than the softening point of the polymer and said particles having a maximum size of 500 μ, c. prior to mixing the slurry and polymer together, heating said slurry to an elevated temperature, sufficiently high to dissolve the polymer when added, d. mixing the polymer melt and the heated slurry to form a resulting second uniformly dispersed slurry containing completely dissolved polymer, inorganic particles and organic solvent, and maintaining said second slurry at a predetermined temperature within a variation of ± 5° C, e. spurting the second slurry as finely dispersed particles into an evaporation zone whereby the solvent is evaporated from the particles to form finely divided, separate flakes, said flakes comprising the polymer having uniformly dispersed therein the inorganic particles and f. recovering the resulting product as porous flakes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
196 words
In a process for producing composite porous flakes by spray drying, the improvement which comprises the steps of continuously: a. forming a polymer melt containing 10 to 75 parts by weight of a thermoplastic polymer, b. forming a first uniformly dispersed slurry containing 25 to 90 parts of inorganic particles dispersed in an organic solvent for the polymer, said solvent having a boiling point lower than the softening point of the polymer and said particles having a maximum size of 500 μ, c. prior to mixing the slurry and polymer together, heating said slurry to an elevated temperature, sufficiently high to dissolve the polymer when added, d. mixing the polymer melt and the heated slurry to form a resulting second uniformly dispersed slurry containing completely dissolved polymer, inorganic particles and organic solvent, and maintaining said second slurry at a predetermined temperature within a variation of ± 5° C, e. spurting the second slurry as finely dispersed particles into an evaporation zone whereby the solvent is evaporated from the particles to form finely divided, separate flakes, said flakes comprising the polymer having uniformly dispersed therein the inorganic particles and f. recovering the resulting product as porous flakes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spurting is effected by pressurizing said dispersion with a pressurized gas inert to said materials.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said evaporated solvent from said dispersion is condensed and recovered.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said porous flakes are dried to remove the solvent remaining therein.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said porous flakes are collected on a permeable sheet by suction therethrough while being prevented from scattering.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said melting of said polymer is effected in a screw type extruder.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said polymer melt is fed into said mixing step in a predetermined flow rate by using a gear pump.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said slurry is fed into said mixing step in a predetermined flow rate by using a constant flow pump.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein 5 - 30% by weight of said inorganic particles contained in said dispersion are preliminarily dispersed in said polymer melt and the balance of said inorganic particles are dispersed in said solvent.