CHEMICAL MICROREACTOR AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20090223925A1
• Filed: 03/27/2009
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Alan Jankowski, Jeffrey D. Morse
• Inventors: Jankowski, Alan, Morse, Jeffrey D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,993,534 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 216/56
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0093 Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00783 Laminate assemblies, i.e. the reactor comprising a stack of plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00824 Ceramic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00828 Silicon wafers or plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00831 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00835 Comprising catalytically active material
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00844 Comprising porous material
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00871 Modular assembly
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00873 Heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A method for forming a chemical microreactor includes forming at least one capillary microchannel in a substrate having at least one inlet and at least one outlet, integrating at least one heater into the chemical microreactor, interfacing the capillary microchannel with a liquid chemical reservoir at the inlet of the capillary microchannel, and interfacing the capillary microchannel with a porous membrane near the outlet of the capillary microchannel, the porous membrane being positioned beyond the outlet of the capillary microchannel, wherein the porous membrane has at least one catalyst material imbedded therein.

Claims

1. A method for forming a chemical microreactor comprising:

forming at least one capillary microchannel in a silicon substrate having at least one inlet and at least one outlet,

integrating at least one heater into the chemical microreactor,

interfacing the capillary microchannel with a liquid chemical reservoir at the inlet of the capillary microchannel,

interfacing the capillary microchannel with a porous membrane at the outlet of the capillary microchannel, such that gas flow moves in a horizontal direction from the inlet through the microchannel and moves in a vertical direction from the microchannel through the outlet, wherein the porous membrane has at least one catalyst material imbedded therein.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally including forming the porous membrane using at least one technique selected from the group consisting of thin film deposition, thick film formation, electrochemical etching, plasma etching and selective chemical etching.

3. The method of claim 1, additionally including imbedding the catalyst material in the porous membrane by a thin film deposition technique.

4. The method of claim 1, additionally including imbedding the catalyst material by ion exchange.

5. The method of claim 1, additionally including imbedding the catalyst material by solgel doping.

6. A method for forming a chemical microreactor comprising:

forming at least one capillary microchannel in a substrate having at least, one inlet and at least one outlet,

integrating at least one heater into the chemical microreactor,

interfacing the capillary microchannel with a liquid chemical reservoir at the inlet of the capillary microchannel,

interfacing the capillary microchannel with a porous membrane near the outlet of the capillary microchannel, the porous membrane being positioned beyond the outlet of the capillary microchannel, wherein the porous membrane has at least one catalyst material imbedded therein.

7. The method of claim 6, additionally including forming the porous membrane using at least one of the techniques selected from the group consisting of thin film deposition, thick film formation, electrochemical etching, plasma etching and selective chemical etching.

8. The method of claim 6, additionally including imbedding the catalyst material in the porous membrane by a thin film deposition technique.

9. The method of claim 6, additionally including imbedding the catalyst material by ion exchange.

10. The method of claim 6, additionally including imbedding the catalyst material by solgel doping.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the substrate comprises silicon.