Patent ID: 6120613
Filing Date: 2000-09-19
Classification: B08B,C11D

Abstract:
A method of cleaning a contaminant from a substrate, comprising the steps of:contacting a substrate with a heterogeneous cleaning system, the heterogeneous cleaning system comprising CO.sub.2 in a first phase and a cleaner in a separate second phase, so that contaminant carried by said substrate is entrained in said cleaner; thensolubilizing said cleaner in said first phase to produce a cleaning system in which said contaminant is immiscible and said contaminant is separated from said substrate; andseparating said substrate from said cleaning system before or after said solubilizing step; andseparating said contaminant from said cleaning system;wherein said cleaner is an oil, and wherein said first phase is the continuous phase and said second phase is a disperse phase.