Method of producing porous spherical particles
The invention refers to a method of controlling the porosity of porous spherical particles produced from a polysaccharide dissolved in a solvent, in which it can be gelled. The polysaccharide solution is finely divided by mechanical means into spherical droplets which are allowed to pass through a humid atmosphere and transferred to a capturing medium while controlling the temperature and humidity of humid atmosphere.
1. In a method of controlling the porosity of porous spherical particles produced from a polysaccharide dissolved in a solvent including water, wherein the polysaccharide solution is finely divided by mechanical means into spherical droplets and transferred to a capturing medium, the improvement comprising conveying said droplets through a humid atmosphere, wherein the temperature and, humidity of said atmosphere are controlled.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said temperature and/or said humidity of said atmosphere is set above ambient temperature and/or humidity, and said porosity is retained or increased.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the temperature of said capturing medium is brought below that of the gelling temperature of the polysaccharide.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said capturing medium comprises water.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said polysaccharide is selected from the group comprising agarose, cellulose, starch, and alginate.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said polysaccharide is agarose and is dissolved as a 2-14 weight % water solution.