Production apparatus of monodisperse particle and production process of monodisperse particle and monodisperse particle produced by the process

Abstract

It is the object to provide a production process of monodisperse particle in which monodisperse particle with uniform particle size (particle diameter) can be stably mass-produced, and monodisperse particle produced by this process, and its production apparatus. The supply pipe diameter δf is set to be greater than the orifice diameter δo and the internal and external pressure of the slurry retention part b is controlled, and this allows to facilitate supply of the slurry through the supply pipe ( 21 c ), and continuously and efficiently supply the slurry, and then to produce monodisperse particle with uniform particle size (particle diameter).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle comprising: 
 flowable material retention container for retaining flowable material, supply pipe which is passage to supply flowable material from material container to the flowable material retention container, diaphram closely contacting to the flowable material retention container, orifice provided on the bottom of the flowable material retention container, piezoelectric actuator generating determined pulse pressure, transmission rod transmitting pulse pressure generated by the piezoelectric actuator to the diaphram, and recovery part located downward from the orifice plate and recovering flowable material ejected per unit.    
     
     
         2 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle according to  claim 1 , wherein supply pipe diameter δf of the supply pipe and orifice diameter δo of the orifice satisfy the (Equation 1). 
       δf>δo  (Equation 1) 
     
     
         3 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle according to  claim 2 , wherein supply pipe diameter is set to be 100 to 900 μm.  
     
     
         4 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle according to  claim 1 , wherein supply pipe diameter δf of the supply pipe and orifice diameter δo of the orifice satisfy the (Equation 2). 
       0.5 <k =(δ f )2/{(δ o )2+(δ f )2}≦0.95  (Equation 2) 
     
     
         5 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle according to  claim 1 , having measuring device for internal pressure of the material container, measuring device for external pressure of the material container and controller to control internal and external pressure of the material container to determined value.  
     
     
         6 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle according to  claim 1 , wherein the material container is provided with heater.  
     
     
         7 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle according to  claim 1 , wherein the recovery part is provided with heater for heating and drying the flowable material.  
     
     
         8 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle according to  claim 1 , wherein the recovery part is provided with cooler for rapidly cooling and freezing the slurry drop.  
     
     
         9 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle according to  claim 1 , wherein the orifice is provided on orifice plate having more than one orifice.  
     
     
         10 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle according to  claim 9 , wherein more than one orifice is removably provided on the orifice plate.  
     
     
         11 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle comprising: 
 flowable material retention container for retaining flowable material, supply pipe which is passage to supply flowable material from material container to the flowable material retention container, nozzle part provided on the flowable material retention container, orifice provided on the bottom of the flowable material retention container and for ejecting flowable material in the flowable material retention container, piezoelectric actuator generating determined displacement, transmission rod transmitting displacement generated by the piezoelectric actuator as displacement of cylinder rod inserted into the nozzle part, and recovery part recovering flowable material ejected per unit.    
     
     
         12 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle according to  claim 11 , wherein supply pipe diameter δf of the supply pipe and orifice diameter δo of the orifice satisfy the (Equation 1). 
       δf>δo  (Equation 1) 
     
     
         13 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle according to  claim 12 , wherein supply pipe diameter is set to be 100 to 900 μm.  
     
     
         14 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle according to  claim 11 , wherein supply pipe diameter δf of the supply pipe and orifice diameter δo of the orifice satisfy the (Equation 2). 
       0.5 <k =(δ f )2/{(δ o )2+(δ f )2}≦0.95  (Equation 2) 
     
     
         15 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle according to  claim 11 , having measuring device for internal pressure of the material container, measuring device for external pressure of the material container and controller to control internal and external pressure of the material container to determined value.  
     
     
         16 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle according to  claim 11 , wherein the material container is provided with heater.  
     
     
         17 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle according to  claim 11 , wherein the recovery part is provided with heater for heating and drying the flowable material.  
     
     
         18 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle according to  claim 11 , wherein the recovery part is provided with cooler for rapidly cooling and freezing the slurry drop.  
     
     
         19 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle according to  claim 11 , wherein the orifice is provided on orifice plate having more than one orifice.  
     
     
         20 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle according to  claim 19 , wherein more than one orifice is removably provided on the orifice plate.  
     
     
         21 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle comprising: 
 flowable material retention container for retaining flowable material, supply pipe which is passage to supply flowable material from material container to the flowable material retention container, nozzle part provided on the flowable material retention container, orifice provided on the bottom of the flowable material retention container and for ejecting flowable material in the flowable material retention container, piezoelectric actuator generating determined displacement, transmission rod transmitting displacement generated by the piezoelectric actuator as displacement of cylinder rod inserted into the nozzle part, and recovery part recovering flowable material ejected per unit, wherein space area Af between inside of the nozzle part and the cylinder rod, and cross-sectional area Ao satisfy the (Equation 3).   Af>Ao  (Equation 3)   
     
     
         22 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle according to  claim 21 , wherein the recovery part is provided with heater for heating and drying the flowable material.  
     
     
         23 . A production apparatus of monodisperse particle according to  claim 21 , wherein the recovery part is provided with cooler for rapidly cooling and freezing the slurry drop.  
     
     
         24 . A production process of monodisperse particle in which flowable material is supplied from material container to flowable material retention container through supply pipe, and flowable material retained in the flowable material retention container is ejected to recovery part by displacement transmission means connected to piezoelectric actuator generating determined displacement through orifice and recovered, wherein supply pipe diameter δf of the supply pipe is set to be greater than orifice diameter δo of the orifice.  
     
     
         25 . A production process monodisperse particle according to  claim 24 , wherein ejected material is dried and recovered by heating.  
     
     
         26 . A production process monodisperse particle according to  claim 24 , wherein difference in pressure between internal and external pressure of the material container is measured, and the internal and external pressure of the material container is controlled at determined value based on the measurement.  
     
     
         27 . A production process monodisperse particle according to  claim 24 , wherein the control of difference in pressure between internal and external pressure of the material container is carried out based on the (Equation 4). 
       0≦P<Pc  (Equation 4) P: Difference in pressure=Internal pressure (Pi) of the material container−External pressure (Po) of the material container    Pc: Limit difference in pressure=Difference in pressure between limit internal pressure (Pi) of the material container and limit external pressure (Po) of the material container when the slurry flows down from the orifice by its own weight.    
     
     
         28 . A production process monodisperse particle according to  claim 24 , wherein particle diameter of recovered monodisperse particle is controlled by orifice diameter of the orifice.  
     
     
         29 . A production process monodisperse particle according to  claim 28 , wherein particle diameter of monodisperse particle is controlled to 0.9 to 1.1 times of orifice diameter.  
     
     
         30 . A production process monodisperse particle according to  claim 24 , wherein the flowable material is molten metal which is melted in material container provided with heater.  
     
     
         31 . A production process monodisperse particle according to  claim 24 , wherein the flowable material is ejected to the recovery part as liquid drop from more than one orifice.  
     
     
         32 . A production process monodisperse particle according to  claim 24 , wherein particles contained in the monodisperse particle are metallic glass spheres.  
     
     
         33 . A monodisperse particle produced by the production process described in  claim 24 , wherein standard deviation is below 2 μm.  
     
     
         34 . A monodisperse particle produced by the production process described in  claim 24 , wherein monodisperse particle is obtained by controlling individual particle diameter of particles contained in monodisperse particle to 0.9 to 1.1 times of the orifice diameter.  
     
     
         35 . A monodisperse particle produced by the production process described in  claim 24 , wherein variation in diameter of individual particles contained in monodisperse particle is within ±10%.  
     
     
         36 . A monodisperse particle according to  claim 35 , wherein variation in diameter of individual particles contained in monodisperse particle is within ±2%.  
     
     
         37 . A production process of monodisperse particle in which flowable material is supplied from material container to flowable material retention container through supply pipe, and flowable material retained in the flowable material retention container is ejected to recovery part by displacement transmission means connected to piezoelectric actuator generating determined displacement through orifice and recovered, wherein flow rate per unit of flowable material in the supply pipe is greater than that in the orifice.  
     
     
         38 . A production process monodisperse particle according to  claim 37 , wherein ejected material is dried and recovered by heating.  
     
     
         39 . A production process monodisperse particle according to  claim 37 , wherein difference in pressure between internal and external pressure of the material container is measured, and the internal and external pressure of the material container is controlled at determined value based on the measurement.  
     
     
         40 . A production process monodisperse particle according to  claim 37 , wherein the control of difference in pressure between internal and external pressure of the material container is carried out based on the (Equation 4). 
       0≦P<Pc  (Equation 4) P: Difference in pressure=Internal pressure (Pi) of the material container−External pressure (Po) of the material container    Pc: Limit difference in pressure=Difference in pressure between limit internal pressure (Pi) of the material container and limit external pressure (Po) of the material container when the slurry flows down from the orifice by its own weight.    
     
     
         41 . A production process monodisperse particle according to  claim 37 , wherein particle diameter of recovered monodisperse particle is controlled by orifice diameter of the orifice.  
     
     
         42 . A production process monodisperse particle according to  claim 41 , wherein particle diameter of monodisperse particle is controlled to 0.9 to 1.1 times of orifice diameter.  
     
     
         43 . A production process monodisperse particle according to  claim 37 , wherein the flowable material is molten metal which is melted in material container provided with heater.  
     
     
         44 . A production process monodisperse particle according to  claim 37 , wherein the flowable material is ejected to the recovery part as liquid drop from more than one orifice.  
     
     
         45 . A production process monodisperse particle according to  claim 37 , wherein particles contained in the monodisperse particle are metallic glass spheres.  
     
     
         46 . A monodisperse particle produced by the production process described in  claim 37 , wherein standard deviation is below 2 μm.  
     
     
         47 . A monodisperse particle produced by the production process described in  claim 37 , wherein monodisperse particle is obtained by controlling individual particle diameter of particles contained in monodisperse particle to 0.9 to 1.1 times of the orifice diameter.  
     
     
         48 . A monodisperse particle produced by the production process described in  claim 37 , wherein variation in diameter of individual particles contained in monodisperse particle is within ±10%.  
     
     
         49 . A monodisperse particle according to  claim 48 , wherein variation in diameter of individual particles contained in monodisperse particle is within ±2%.  
     
     
         50 . A production process in which ejected flowable material is rapidly cooled and frozen, and depressurized while keeping the frozen particles so that liquid phase does not appear, and solid phase is sublimed by slowly heating, then recovered as frozen dried particles.