This article provides a brief overview of liquid-liquid phase separation fundamentals. First we discuss thermodynamic factors that drive spontaneous phase separation from homogeneous binary liquid mixtures. Next we introduce some mathematical models for chemical potentials in non-equilibrium state and intermolecular frictions to derive the governing equation for phase separations. Following classical Cahn-Hilliard theory, we show how the linear stability analysis gives the critical wavelength, at which the growth rate of concentration fluctuation shows a maximum. Finally, we discuss possibilities to utilize phase separation structures as a template to assemble/deposit/stratify solid particles on a solid surface.

Because of thermal stability, tunable porosity and modifiable surface, mesoporous silica is a promising material in catalysis, drag delivery and environmental applications. These industrial potentials could be enhanced by compounding mesoporous silica with Fe₃O₄ nano-particles, since its para-magnetism brings about the spatial mobility controlled under magnetic field. For the present research work, tetraethylorthosilicate was hydrolyzed and poly-condensed over the self-assembled surfactant micelles in the presence of Fe₃O₄ nano-particles in order to embed it in mesoporous silica SBA-15. Under the acidic condition caused by an aqueous solution of FeCl₃, the poly-condensates were formed into the well-ordered hexagonal arrays of one-dimensional channels without dissolution of Fe₃O₄ nano-particles. This was the first successful synthesis of SBA-15 in which Fe₃O₄ nano-particles were embedded. On the other hands, another approach where SBA-15 was synthesized over Fe₃O₄ coated with amorphous silica in HCl aqueous solution ended in failure because the coated silica could not prevent Fe₃O₄ from dissolving in HCl aqueous solution. For the SBA-15/Fe₃O₄ composite prepared successfully, a quaternary alkyl-ammonium salt was grafted in order to prove the catalytic application.

A scale-up method of a low drug content mixing process in a V-type blender was proposed. Acetaminophen was used for the model drug, and the low drug mixing experiment was conducted using three scales of V-type blenders under the same fill level and Froude (Fr) number. However, the uniformity of mixtures could not correspond with the mixing time or the total revolution number. To find the optimum scale-up factor, discrete element method (DEM) simulations of three different scales of V-type blender mixing were conducted, and the total travel distance of particles under the different scales was calculated. The uniformity of drug content obtained from the scale-up experiments was well correlated with the mixing time determined by the total travel distance. It was found that the scale-up DEM simulation based on the travel distance of particle was valid for the low drug content mixing scale-up processes.

Plate penetration into dry granular materials is numerically studied using a large-scale discrete element method (DEM). To investigate the effects penetration angle on the interactions between particles and the plate, the simulations with the different angles from 0 (vertical penetration) to 60 degree are compared. The results show that the drag force acting on the plate increases with a decrease in the penetration angle. For all cases, the formation of shear bands from the plate tip to the free surface in the bed is confirmed. The analysis of energy consumption in the bed shows that most of the energy input to the bed by the plate is locally dissipated by sliding frictions between particles in shear bands. As the penetration angle decreases, the amount of energy dissipation due to the friction increases in the shear bands formed near the plate tip.

Controlling flow behavior of micro food powder in the mixer is important for improving the efficiency of premix powder production. Four important factors (particle diameter, particle diameter distribution, particle shape, adhesion force) which could influence the flow behavior in the mixer were examined by several experiments and Distinct Element Method simulations. The experiments and simulations showed that the particle diameter, particle diameter distribution and particle shape had little effect on the flow behavior of the food powder in the rotating drum, while the adhesive force had a very large effect. On the basis of this finding, we proposed a simple adhesion model for representing the behavior of micro food powder in the mixer. It was found that the flow behavior of several kinds of food powder can be represented by the proposed model.