Method for drying water-borne materials

1. A method of isolating a bio-molecule from a water-borne mixture, the method comprising: removing an aqueous solvent from the water-borne mixture by contacting the water-borne mixture with dimethyl ether to form solid particles of the bio-molecule.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the water-borne mixture comprises the bio-molecule and a solvent component.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the water-borne mixture is a suspension.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the contacting is conducted at a temperature of 0 to 250° C. and the dimethyl ether is at a pressure range from P c to 10×P c , wherein P c is the critical pressure of dimethyl ether.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the contacting is conducted at a temperature of 0 to 80° C. and the dimethyl ether is at a pressure range from P c to 2×P c .

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the contacting is conducted at a temperature of 0 to 126.5° C. and the dimethyl ether is at a pressure range from 100 psi to 2×P c , wherein P c is the critical pressure of dimethyl ether.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 wherein the contacting is conducted at a temperature of 0 to 60° C. and the dimethyl ether is at a pressure range from 200 psi to P c .

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the contacting is conducted at a temperature of 0 to 126.5° C. and the dimethyl ether is at a pressure range from 50 psi to P c , wherein P c is the critical pressure of dimethyl ether.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the contacting is conducted at a temperature of 0 to 60° C.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the dimethyl ether is introduced into a pressurized chamber containing the water-borne mixture.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the water-borne mixture is injected into a stream of the dimethyl ether.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the bio-molecule is a protein.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the protein is a hormone.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the hormone is insulin.

15. The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the protein is an enzyme.

16. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the bio-molecule is a polynucleotide.

17. The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the polynucleotide is DNA.

18. A method of isolating a material from a water borne mixture, the method comprising: removing an aqueous solvent from the water-borne mixture by contacting the water borne mixture with dimethyl ether to form dry particle of the material.

19. The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the material is an organic substance.

20. The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the material is an inorganic substance.

21. The method as recited in clam 18 , wherein the material in an edible or potable foodstuff.

22. The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the water-borne mixture comprises the material and a solvent component.

23. The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the material is silica gel.

24. The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the material is a pharmaceutical.

25. The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the water-borne mixture is a suspension.

26. The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the water-borne mixture is an emulsion.

27. The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the water-borne mixture is a micro-emulsion.

28. The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the water-borne mixture comprises liposome suspended in aqueous media.

29. The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the water-borne mixture is an aqueous solution.

30. The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the contact is conducted at a temperature of 0 to 250° C. and the dimethyl ether is at a pressure range of 50 psi to 10×P c , wherein P c is the critical pressure of dimethyl ether.

31. The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the contact is conducted at a temperature of 0 to 126.5° C. and the dimethyl ether is at a pressure range of 50 psi to 2×P c , wherein P c is the critical pressure of dimethyl ether.

32. The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the dimethyl ether is introduced into a pressurized chamber containing the water-borne mixture.

33. The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the water-borne mixture is injected into a stream of dimethyl ether.

34. A method of purifying a desired substance contaminated with impurities contained in a water-borne mixture, the method comprising contacting the water-borne mixture with dimethyl ether to remove an aqueous solvent and the impurities from the desired substance.