Jet Pulverizer Co. has formed a new company that is trying to mill new materials and create sizes smaller than thought possible.
LiquaJet LLC is working with the Rutgers University Center for Advanced Materials via Immiscible Polymer Processing on a jet milling method that uses liquid nitrogen to mill certain materials, said Jet Pulverizer's senior account manager, Brian List.
He said that the technology helps various academics and research and development people work with new materials and new methods. It is being tried for materials like polycaprolactone and polymethyl methacrylate, and for such industries as aerospace, nanotechnology and biopolymers.
``What's unique about the technology is milling materials that haven't been milled this fine before. Things that were milled to 100 microns, we can get down to 30 microns,'' List said, pointing out that expensive materials can be used to get better yield.
Jet Pulverizer also is looking at other universities and R&D partnerships to try the LiquaJet method in other applications.
``Our real goal is to flush out applications that people discard as not possible. It's a very high-value process,'' said List.
Rutgers' immiscible program was established to conduct research on advanced polymer systems. The affiliation will help to identify and implement polymer processing applications for the LiquaJet method, the university said in a news release.
Jet Pulverizer has provided traditional milling for dry powders since 1946. LiquaJet was formed in 2008.