Micron and sub-micron sized particles with reduced environmental interactions and methods for producing these particles

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for producing particles of typically reactive materials that have reduced reactivity and/or environmental interactions by having cannabinoids on the surface of the particles. In example embodiments, the particles are of micron and sub-micron sized. Embodiments produce microparticles coated with cannabinoids by reducing a metal salt in water in the presence of cannabinoids. Copper microparticles created in this way are produced in one reaction step at low temperature and short reaction times. Copper microparticles coated with cannabinoids have improved resistance to oxidation and are able to form conductive composites that have conductivity greater than 7×10 6 S/m with a low heat treatment temperature of 90° C. Cannabinoid coated particles can also be created by adding cannabinoids to existing particles. Adding cannabinoids to bare copper particles can reverse surface oxidation of the particles.

1 . A method for reducing particles with oxidization, comprising:
 placing particles with oxidization into a suspension, wherein the suspension includes an antioxidant cannabinoid;   mixing the suspension of the particles with oxidization and the antioxidant cannabinoid; and   heating the mixture to above a predetermined temperature.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined temperature is the vaporization temperature of the antioxidant cannabinoid. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined temperature is 120° C. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined temperature is the melting temperature of the cannabinoid. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 including a polymer in the suspension of the particles with oxidization and the antioxidant cannabinoid, and   wherein the predetermined temperature is between the glass transition temperature of the polymer and the melting temperature of the cannabinoid   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 including a polymer in the suspension of the particles with oxidization and the antioxidant cannabinoid;   adding solvent to polymer; and   creating an ink by said adding solvent.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said heating the temperature above a predetermined temperature includes maintaining the temperature below the burn-off temperature of the cannabinoid. 
     
     
         8 . A method for applying a particle surface assembly to an environmentally reactive nano- or micro-structure, comprising:
 obtaining an environmentally reactive nano- or micro-structure;   obtaining a cannabinoid;   obtaining a solvent that will be (expected to be) less attractive to the cannabinoid than the nano- or micro-structure when including the solvent, the cannabinoid and the selected environmentally reactive micro-structure in a solution;   forming a first solution by adding the cannabinoid to the solvent;   distributing the cannabinoid throughout solvent;   forming a second solution by adding the selected environmentally reactive nano- or micro-structure to the first solution;   adjusting conditions of the second solution to favor assembling a particle surface assembly on the nano- or micro-structure;   allowing the particle surface assembly to assemble on the selected environmentally reactive nano- or micro-structure; and   isolating the selected environmentally reactive nano- or micro-structure with the surface assembly from the second solution.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the solvent is water or ethanol. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the distributing occurs while allowing the solution to remain undisturbed. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the distributing occurs with active intervention by a user. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the nano- or micro-structure is a precursor or an ion. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the precursor or ion is a copper precursor or copper ion. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the nano- or micro-structure is a pre-fabricated nano- or micro-structure. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the nano- or micro-structure precipitates from the first solution. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said adjusting conditions of the second solution results in the cannabinoid in the second solution being at least 95% depleted rom the second solution and onto the surface of the nano- or micro-structure after said allowing. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein
 said adjusting conditions of the second solution includes adding heat to the second solution, or   said forming a first solution includes adding a base to the solvent.   
     
     
         18 . An environmentally stable micro- or nano-particle, comprising:
 an environmentally reactive micro- or nano-particle with a cannabinoid on the surface of the environmentally reactive micro- or nano-particle, the cannabinoid functioning as a corrosion inhibitor.   
     
     
         19 . The environmentally stable micro- or nano-particle of  claim 18 , wherein the cannabinoid on the surface of the environmentally reactive micro- or nano-particle includes lipophilic groups of cannabinoid oriented toward the surface of the environmentally reactive micro- or nano-particle. 
     
     
         20 . The environmentally stable micro- or nano-particle of  claim 18 , wherein the cannabinoid is a cannabinoid derivative. 
     
     
         21 - 23 . (canceled)