ETH-Zürich: Plasma processing of powders at atmospheric pressure

Licensing opportunity

Researchers from the Transport Processes and Reactions Laboratory at the Institute of Process Engineering at ETH-Zürich, Switzerland, have developed a technology that modifies solid particle surfaces such as pharmaceutical powders without changing their bulk properties at atmospheric pressure. It relies on a remote plasma process which, contrary to conventional low pressure plasma processes, doesn’t require costly vacuum systems, semi-batch operation or product heating.

This technology excites the process gas in a plasma creation zone, from which it is transported to the particle surface where functionalities are introduced. The inventors believe that such a technology could be used to generate nanoparticles in the gas phase, which could then be attached to any particulate material without altering its functionality.

This new plasma process can be integrated into existing continuous processing systems, improve bulk flowability, increase manufacturing efficiency and production rates, particularly as processing times are in the range of milliseconds.

Pharmaceutical and chemical industries will benefit from this technology as it improves the flow behaviour of powders and allows precise dosing for tablet production. It can be applied to a variety of surfaces and can be used in textile interlining, bonding of paper to aluminium or to fill fibre-reinforced composites.