Spray Processing of Polymers and Complex Fluids: PARC’s Filament Extension Atomizer Technology

Polymers and similar complex fluids are notoriously difficult to spray process due to their strain-hardening behavior in extension. In most cases, strain hardening leads to the formation of stable filaments that resist break-up into droplets. PARC's filament extension atomizer (FEA) is an innovative solution that addresses this problem. FEA takes advantage of the strain-hardening behavior of polymers and elastocapillary thinning of the filaments in the high-throughput generation of droplets with a narrow-size distribution. This technology could be disruptive and could enable the creation of new platforms with a wide range of applications including additive manufacturing. It could also change the formulation paradigm for consumer and specialty products intended for spraying. In this contribution, we will present a few case studies on different materials and applications where FEA can be applied and how it can change the way we think about spray processing.