Ecc International Limited

Caryl Gould

Thomas R Jones

Alan J Brown

Roger James

A particulate porous material suitable for use as a high surface area column packing material comprises particles substantially all of which are not smaller than 5 micrometers and not larger than 1 millimeter in diameter, and each particle is in the form of a substantially cellular body and consists predominantly of an open, three-dimensional matrix of crystal of mullite which define between them interconnecting pores having a width in the range of from 5 nanometers to about 2 micrometers. The particles can be coated with a reactive layer. There is also disclosed a process for producing the particulate porous material wherein a particulate product comprising particles substantially all of which are between 5 micrometers and 1 millimeter in diameter and consisting predominantly of a mixture of mullite crystals and silica is treated with a concentrated aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide at a temperature of at least 50.degree. C.; and the treated particulate product is then washed, dewatered and dried. The particulate porous material may be used as a packing material for a chromatographic or ion exchange column, or for performing biochemical separations, and is particularly useful for immobilizing biological components such as biological macromolecules or biological cells.

Coated porous mullite bodies

There is provided a porous cellular material comprising a plurality of cavities each defined by a substantially spherical wall formed of a rigid intermeshing matrix of ceramic needles said wall being pierced by at least one aperture to provide access to the cavity, and the or each aperture having a diameter such that the ratio of the diameter of the aperture to the diameter of the cavity into which the aperture opens is in the range of from 0.1:1 to 1:1.

Porous inorganic materials

There is disclosed a process for preparing a porous inorganic material. The process comprises preparing a cellular aluminosilicate material by foaming or spray drying an aqueous suspension of the material. The cellular material is calcined, leached with hydroxide to remove silica, dewatered and dried to leave a porous, cellular ceramic material.

Production of porous inorganic materials

A particulate porous material suitable for use as a high surface area column packing material comprises particles substantially all of which are not smaller than 5 micrometers and not larger than 1 millimeter in diameter, and each particle is in the form of a substantially cellular body and consists predominantly of an open, three-dimensional matrix of crystals of mullite which define between them interconnecting pores having a width in the range of from 5 nanometers to about 2 micrometers. The particles can be coated with a reactive layer. There is also disclosed a process for producing the particulate porous material wherein a particulate product comprising particles substantially all of which are between 5 micrometers and 1 millimeter in diameter and consisting predominantly of a mixture of mullite crystals and silica is treated with a concentrated aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide at a temperature of at least 50.degree. C.; and the treated particulate product is then washed, dewatered and dried. The particulate porous material may be used as a packing material for a chromatographic or ion exchange column, or for performing biochemical separations, and is particularly useful for immobilizing biological components such as biological macromolecules or biological cells.

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St. Austell, United Kingdom

Caryl Gould