Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of forming a humidity barrier using fats or other materials that can form an amorphous coating for particles comprising sensitive biological materials in a dehydrated and/or a vitrified state. Since the hydrophobic coating may be sticky, a second hard-shell coating is applied to prevent the particles from sticking together. This approach would minimize exposure of the dried biological material to atmospheric moisture and the consequent loss of biological activity.

Abstract: This invention discloses methods for the long-term preservation of industrial scale biological solutions and suspensions containing biologically active molecules, cells and small multicellular specimens at ambient temperatures by dehydration in amorphous very viscous liquid or glass state. The scale up method comprises the primary drying step of boiling under vacuum to form a mechanically-stable foam and a secondary drying step to increase the stability. Vitrification can subsequently be achieved by cooling the dried material to the storage temperature which is lower than the glass transition temperature.

Abstract: This invention relates to barrier methods for preserving sensitive biological materials as a porous foam, subsequently crushing the foam to form a powder, and optionally formulating mixtures of preserved powdered biological materials. The invention also encompasses an apparatus for integrating the methods of foam formation and subsequent crushing of the preserved biological materials using barrier technology.

Abstract: A method of preserving sensitive biological dispersions, suspensions, emulsions and solutions by forming stable foams from fluid materials to be dehydrated, as an aid both to the drying of one or more biologically active substrates in the fluid and as an aid in preparing an easily divisible dried product suitable for further commercial use. The stable foams are formed by partially removing the water to form a viscous liquid and by further subjecting the reduced liquid to vacuum, to cause it to "boil" during further drying at temperatures substantially lower than 100 degrees C. In other words, reduced pressure is applied to viscous solutions or suspensions of biologically active materials to cause the solutions or suspensions to foam during boiling, and during the foaming process further solvent removal causes the ultimate production of a stable open-cell or closed-cell foam.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deacidification of cellulosic materials such as the pages of books, magazines, newspapers, documents and the like are provided which ensures that substantially the entirety of each page is treated. The method includes placing the materials within a carrier such that the pages are free for exposure to the treating medium. The carrier is submerged in a vat preferably containing a dispersion of treating material including particles of an alkaline metal oxide, hydroxide or salt. The vat includes a support frame which supports the carrier and is slidably mounted on the vat such that the carrier and materials it holds may reciprocate in a generally horizontal direction. The reciprocation of the support frame causes the pages of a book, for example, to fan out, and the treating material in the medium thus comes into contact with each page of the book, magazine or other document.

Abstract: An improved method of deacidifying books, imaged paper and other imaged materials having a cellulose base wherein, for a sufficient time to raise the pH of the materials, the materials are treated with alkaline particles of a basic metal oxide, hydroxide or salt dispersed in an inert perflourinated carrier, preferably selected from the group consisting of perfluoropolyoxyether, perfluoromorpholine and combinations thereof. Perfluoropolyoxyether alkanoic acid is added as a surfactant. Alternatively, when perfluoromorpholine is the carrier of choice, the surfactant may instead be potassium fluoroalkyl carboxylate.