Patent ID: 8093038

Claim:
An apparatus for coating micron-sized or sub-micron-sized particles, comprising: an encapsulation chamber including a first fluid layer of either water or an aqueous solution, the first fluid layer disposed on a second fluid layer of a fluid incompatible with the first layer; a particle feed tube including a particle passage in combination with a feed tube opening at a discharge end of the particle feed tube, the feed tube opening disposed in the first fluid layer; a particle feed device in communication with an end of the particle passage opposite the feed tube opening, the particle feed device comprising a particle discharge channel having a particle discharge channel opening in combination with the end of the particle passage, and a polymer solution injection channel having an injection channel opening in combination with the end of the particle passage; a particle withdrawal tube including a first end in combination with the encapsulation chamber and connected at a second end to a filtration device; and a valveless pump connected to the particle withdrawal tube between the first end and the second end.