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Avoid high costs and safety hazards of using toxic organic solvents Make products that can be advertised as "environmentally friendly," "free of toxic solvents"
About
Technology The Organic Solvent Problem: Making polymers amenable to mechanical processing usually requires the use of hazardous or harsh organic solvents. The same is true for making polymer foams. Such uses of organic solvents require complex and expensive air handling equipment, may expose plant workers to potentially toxic fumes, and great care must be taken to prevent fires and explosions. Moreover, as state and federal regulations on environmental emissions of organic solvents get increasingly strict, complex means must be used to recapture fumes and vapors. In addition, as consumers become increasingly concerned about environmental pollution, the continued use of solvents in manufacturing may drive customers to alternate products. This Invention Avoids the Solvent Problem Completely: By processing polymers with superheated fluids such as water or ethanol, and/or supercritical fluids such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen, polymers can be rendered suitable for mechanical processing, and polymer foams can be made, without the use of hazardous or harsh organic solvents. New Polar Additives are Possible: Water soluble additives, including highly polar ones, can be added since they are soluble in the aqueous or water-miscible superheated liquid. Improved particle dispersion can be achieved through the use of superheated liquids as processing aids.