The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 09, 1989
Filed:
Dec. 08, 1987
Edward L Cussler, Edina, MN (US);
Regents of the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Abstract
A separation method utilizing the ability of temperature-sensitive cross-linked polymer gels to selectively extract solvent from a solution of a macromolecular material. A feed solution containing macromolecules is added to a small amount of gel. The gel swells to absorb the low molecular weight solvent, but it cannot absorb the macromolecules. The raffinate, which is now a concentrated macromolecular solution, is drawn off. To regenerate, the filtered gel is warmed, so that its volume decreases sharply. This suddenly decreased volume occurs because the gel is near a critical point. The solvent is removed from the shrunken gel. The temperature of the gel is then lowered; more feed solution is added; and the cycle is begun again.