CERAMIC-BASED CHROMATOGRAPHY APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR MAKING SAME

• US 20090321356A1
• Filed: 03/19/2007
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Waters Technologies Corporation (Waters Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Waters Investments Limited (Waters Corporation)
• Inventors: Gerhardt, Geoff C., Benevides, Christopher C., Michienzi, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US12/282,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20090321356A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/656
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/6026 Fluid seals
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/606 with fluid access or exit ports
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/6095 Micromachined or nanomachined, e.g. micro- or nanosize

Abstract

A high-performance liquid-chromatography apparatus includes a substrate that defines a separation column in fluidic communication with an inlet port of the processing unit. The processing unit is formed of sintered inorganic particles. The apparatus also includes a pump that delivers a solvent to the inlet port at a pressure sufficient for high-performance liquid-chromatography.

Claims

1. A chemical-processing instrument, comprising;

a processing unit comprising sintered inorganic particles, the processing unit that surround a cavity defining a separation column in fluidic communication with an inlet port of the processing unit, wherein the cavity contains a stationary medium;

a pump configured to deliver a liquid comprising a solvent at a pressure sufficient for high-performance liquid chromatography; and

a connector in physical communication with the inlet port, and configured to provide a substantially leak-free connection for a conduit that carries the liquid delivered by the pump.

2. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the separation column has a width of less than about 500 μ

m.

3. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the separation column has a width of less than about 200 μ

m.

4. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the pressure is greater than about 2 kpsi.

5. The instrument of claim 4, wherein the pressure is greater than about 5 kpsi.

6. The instrument of claim 5, wherein the pressure is greater than about 20 kpsi.

7. The instrument of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive that attaches the connector to the processing unit.

8. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the connector comprises a housing configured to receive the conduit.

9. The instrument of claim 8, further comprising a sealing unit disposed between the housing and the processing unit.

10. The instrument of claim 9, wherein the sealing unit comprises a gasket.

11. The instrument of claim 10, wherein the gasket comprises an adhesive layer that attaches the gasket to the processing unit.

12. The instrument of claim 10, wherein the gasket has an area of less than about 0.05 square inch.

13. The instrument of claim 10, wherein the gasket has a gasket factor of at least about 1:

1.

14. The instrument of claim 9, wherein the sealing unit comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyimide, polyetheretherketone, tetrafluoroethylene, and polydimethylsiloxane.

15. The device of claim 8, wherein the connector further comprises at least one bolt that secures the housing to the processing unit.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the connector comprises a clamp having opened and closed positions for, respectively, exchanging the processing unit and sealing the processing unit.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the connector further comprises a pressure-adjustable component to select a pressure applied between the connector and the processing unit.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the pressure-adjustable component comprises a piezoelectric material.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the inlet port has a greater width than a width of a conduit defined by the processing unit that provides fluidic communication between the inlet port and the separation column.

20. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the processing unit further defines a trap column in fluidic communication with the inlet port and an inlet of the separation column.

21. The instrument of claim 20, further comprising a trap valve configured to permit a fluid passing through the trap column to exit the processing unit prior to entering the inlet of the separation column.

22. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the inorganic particles comprise a material selected from the group of materials consisting of a glass, a glass-crystalline ceramic, a crystalline ceramic, and a metal.

23. The instrument of claim 22, wherein the inorganic particles comprise a ceramic oxide selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, and stabilized zirconia.

24. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the inorganic particles comprise a ceramic oxide, a ceramic non-oxide, or a ceramic oxide and a ceramic non-oxide.

25. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is mostly crystalline.

26. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the processing unit further comprises an interfacial material disposed between the inorganic particles.

27. The instrument of claim 26, wherein the interfacial material is substantially glassy.

28. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the instrument is an ion chromatograph or a liquid chromatograph.

30. The instrument of claim 1, further comprising a thick-film resistor disposed adjacent to the separation column.

31. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the separation column is distributed within at least two layers of the processing unit.

32. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the processing unit defines at least two separation columns in a parallel relationship.

34. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the pressure is greater than about 2 kpsi.

35. The instrument of claim 34, wherein the pressure is greater than about 5 kpsi.

36. The instrument of claim 35, wherein the pressure is greater than about 10 kpsi.

29. The instrument of claim 29, wherein the instrument is a HPLC instrument.

33. A method for separating a chemical sample, comprising;

providing a processing unit comprising sintered inorganic particles that surround a cavity defining a separation column in fluidic communication with an inlet port of the processing unit, wherein the cavity contains a stationary medium; and

pumping a fluid comprising a sample into the separation column at a pressure sufficient for high-performance liquid chromatography.

37-192. -192. (canceled)