System and method for producing material particles

Abstract

A system for system for producing a plurality of material particles comprises a plated polymer sheet that includes a polymer sheet having a layer of material deposited thereon by electroless plating. The system further comprises a pair of meshing rollers through which the plated polymer sheet is fed, the meshing rollers having a plurality of gear teeth sized and configured to impart a bend of a predetermined radius R in the plated polymer sheet to cause fracturing of the layer of material plated on the polymer sheet. The system further comprises a fluid spray applicator configured to direct fluid flow impinging the plated polymer sheet exiting the meshing rollers to cause separation of the fractured layer of material from the polymer sheet to yield a plurality of material particles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system  100  for producing a plurality of material particles  102 , comprising:
 a plated polymer sheet  110 , including a polymer sheet  112  having a layer of material  114  deposited thereon by electroless plating; 
 a pair of meshing rollers  120 A,  120 B through which the plated polymer sheet  110  is fed, the meshing rollers  120 A,  120 B having a plurality of gear teeth  122  sized and configured to impart a bend of a predetermined radius R in the plated polymer sheet  110  to cause fracturing of the layer of material  114  plated on the polymer sheet  112 ; and 
 a fluid spray applicator  130  configured to direct fluid flow impinging the plated polymer sheet  110  exiting the meshing rollers  120 A,  120 B to cause separation of the fractured layer of material from the polymer sheet  112  to yield a plurality of material particles  102  that are less than a predetermined size. 
 
     
     
         2 . The wherein the plurality of gear teeth comprises a plurality of laterally extending gear teeth that are straight and aligned parallel to the axis of rotation of the meshing rollers. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of material particles are less than a predetermined size of up to 2 inches. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of material particles have a size in the range of between 0.001 inches and 2 inches and the material particles contain only trace amounts of polymer. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer sheet is plated with a layer of material having a thickness that is between 0.1 micron and 0.020 inches. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the meshing rollers have gear teeth that are sized and positioned relative to each other to impart a bend having a predetermined radius that is between 0.1875 inches and 0.375 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the polymer sheet has a modulus of elasticity that is greater than that of the layer of material that is plated on the polymer sheet, such that imparting the bend in the plated polymer sheet causes greater bending deflection in the polymer sheet portion of the plated polymer sheet than the bending deflection of the layer of material that is plated on the polymer sheet, to thereby facilitate fracturing or cracking of the layer of material that is plated on the polymer sheet. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the layer of material has a stiffness that is greater than that of the polymer sheet, such that when a load is applied to the polymer sheet that is plated with the layer of material the bending deflection of the layer of material is less than the bending deflection of the polymer sheet, to facilitate fracturing or cracking of the layer of material that is plated on the polymer sheet. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a collection bin positioned below the fluid spray applicator to collect the plurality of material particles  102  produced from the fractured layer of material  114  separated from the polymer sheet via the fluid spray applicator. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer sheet has a thickness that is between 6 microns and 0.09375 inches. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow applicator is oriented at a predetermined angle relative to the plated polymer sheet, where the predetermined angle is between 15 degrees and 60 degrees. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a grinder for grinding the plurality of material particles collected via the collection bin, where the grinder is configured to grind the plurality of material particles to a smaller, more uniform size. 
     
     
         13 . A method for producing a plurality of material particles, comprising the steps of:
 dispensing a plated polymer sheet that is plated with a layer of material by electroless plating;   feeding the plated polymer sheet into a pair of meshing rollers through which the plated polymer sheet is drawn;   imparting a bend of a predetermined radius R in the plated polymer sheet via the meshing rollers having a plurality of gear teeth through which the plated polymer sheet is drawn;   fracturing of the layer of material plated on the polymer sheet by forming cracks in the layer of polymer material via the imparted bend, to yield a layer of fractured material on the polymer sheet; and   directing a fluid flow impinging the plated polymer sheet, via a fluid spray applicator, to cause separation of the fractured layer of material from the polymer sheet to produce a plurality of material particles less than a predetermined size.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of directing a fluid flow impinging the plated polymer sheet further comprises orienting a fluid spray applicator at a predetermined angle relative to the plated polymer sheet, where the predetermined angle is between 15 degrees and 60 degrees. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising collecting, via a collection bin  140  positioned below the fluid spray applicator  130 , the plurality of material particles produced from the fractured layer of material separated from the polymer sheet via the fluid spray applicator. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the initial step of plating a layer of material onto a polymer sheet, where the polymer sheet has a thickness that is less than 0.09375 inches and the polymer sheet is plated with a layer of material having a thickness that is less than 0.020 inches. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , where the initial step of plating a layer of material onto a polymer sheet further comprises plating a layer of material polymer sheet  112  with a layer of material having a thickness that is between 0.1 micron and 0.020 inches. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the method of imparting a bend of a predetermined radius R further comprises providing meshing rollers having a plurality of gear teeth sized and configured to receive the plated polymer material between opposing gear teeth that are configured to impart a bend of a predetermined radius R that is effective to cause fracturing of the layer of material on the polymer sheet. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising grinding the plurality of material particles collected via the collection bin, where the grinder is configured to grind the plurality of material particles to a smaller, more uniform size. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of rotating, via a rotary drive mechanism, the meshing rollers in counter-rotating directions, to facility forming of cracks in the layer of material plated on the polymer film.