Abstract: The invention concerns a process for the continuous treatment of an emulsion and/or a micro-emulsion assisted by an “expanded liquid” for the production of micro- and/or nano-particles or micro- and/or nano-spheres containing one or more active ingredients. In particular, a liquid solvent expanded by compressed or supercritical CO2 is contacted with an O/W emulsion, or alternatively a W/O emulsion or multiple emulsions, formed by an external phase that is itself a liquid expanded by compressed CO2. The expanded liquid forms a solution with the dispersed phase of the emulsion and extracts it inducing the formation of the desired particles of the dissolved compounds. The process is carried out in a counter-current packed column wherein the expanded emulsion is fed from the top, while the expanded liquid is fed from the bottom. Thanks to the presence of the expanded liquid, any deposition of the solid particles produced on the packing elements is avoided, thus preventing any column blockage.

Abstract: A process for the removal of dry adhesives and/or inks from the surface and from the interior of the cells of the engraved cylinders used in printing and coupling processes, using a supercritical mixture formed by one or more organic solvents and a supercritical fluid, preferably consisting of supercritical carbon dioxide. The microscopic cells of the engraved cylinders used in printing industry or of the cylinders used for film coupling in packaging industry are thoroughly and easily cleaned by a process comprising the steps of forming the said supercritical mixture, delivering it in a high pressure autoclave previously filled with the engraved cylinders to be cleaned, cleaning for a given residence time, eliminating the organic solvent residue in the autoclave by washing it with supercritical fluid and precipitating the extracted inks and/or adhesives in one or more separators located downstream the autoclave.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for the continuous treatment of an emulsion and/or a micro-emulsion assisted by an “expanded liquid” for the production of micro- and/or nano-particles or micro- and/or nano-spheres containing one or more active ingredients. In particular, a liquid solvent expanded by compressed or supercritical CO2 is contacted with an O/W emulsion, or alternatively a W/O emulsion or multiple emulsions, formed by an external phase that is itself a liquid expanded by compressed CO2. The expanded liquid forms a solution with the dispersed phase of the emulsion and extracts it inducing the formation of the desired particles of the dissolved compounds. The process is carried out in a counter-current packed column wherein the expanded emulsion is fed from the top, while the expanded liquid is fed from the bottom. Thanks to the presence of the expanded liquid, any deposition of the solid particles produced on the packing elements is avoided, thus preventing any column blockage.

Abstract: A process for the removal of dry adhesives and/or inks from the surface and from the interior of the cells of the engraved cylinders used in printing and coupling processes, using a supercritical mixture formed by one or more organic solvents and a supercritical fluid, preferably consisting of supercritical carbon dioxide. The microscopic cells of the engraved cylinders used in printing industry or of the cylinders used for film coupling in packaging industry are thoroughly and easily cleaned by a process comprising the steps of forming the said supercritical mixture, delivering it in a high pressure autoclave previously filled with the engraved cylinders to be cleaned, cleaning for a given residence time, eliminating the organic solvent residue in the autoclave by washing it with supercritical fluid and precipitating the extracted inks and/or adhesives in one or more separators located downstream the autoclave.

Abstract: A process to produce semi-permeable polymer membranes that allows to obtain hollow capillary membranes to be preferably (but not exclusively) used in the field of the treatment of blood and its derivatives, particularly for hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration, and hemofiltration. The process is based on a phase separation mechanism to produce the semi-permeable membrane, and uses dense or supercritical fluids instead of the liquid solvents as non-solvents in the phase separation. Supercritical or dense fluids act as non-solvents for polymers and as solvents for liquid solvents used to form the membrane. The temperature, pressure, residence time and composition ranges have been designed so as to allow the modulation of the porosity of the produced capillary membranes.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus are proposed to perform the supercritical assisted atomization of nano and/or micro metric powders. It is possible to use liquid solvent at process conditions in which they show a low solubility in carbon dioxide. Atomization is obtained by solubilizing pressurized carbon dioxide (compressed, liquid, supercritical) in a solution formed by the solid to be micronized and the liquid solvent, solubilizing carbon dioxide up to near equilibrium conditions and then atomizing the solution down to near atmospheric conditions through a thin wall injector, to produce very small droplet of micronic and sub-micronic dimensions. The subsequent evaporation of the droplets produces particles with diameters ranging between 0.02 and 10 micron.

Abstract: The present invention relates to microporous materials (i.e., materials presenting high porosity, often referred to as aerogels) based on syndiotactic polystyrene and characterized by the presence of cavities with nanometric dimensions characteristic of the ? crystalline form and to processes for their preparation. These materials are capable of absorbing with fast kinetics volatile organic compounds from liquid or gaseous phases, also when such components are present at very low concentrations.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus are proposed to perform the supercritical assisted atomization of nano and/or micro metric powders. It is possible to use liquid solvent at process conditions in which they show a low solubility in carbon dioxide. Atomization is obtained by solubilizing pressurized carbon dioxide (compressed, liquid, supercritical) in a solution formed by the solid to be micronized and the liquid solvent, solubilizing carbon dioxide up to near equilibrium conditions and then atomizing the solution down to near atmospheric conditions through a thin wall injector, to produce very small droplet of micronic and sub-micronic dimensions. The subsequent evaporation of the droplets produces particles with diameters ranging between 0.02 and 10 micron.