ELECTROCHEMICAL DETECTION CELL FOR LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY SYSTEM

• US 20110192722A1
• Filed: 02/10/2010
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dionex Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Dionex Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cheng, Jun, Jandik, Petr, Pohl, Christopher A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,342,007 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/412
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/30 Electrodes, e.g. test electrodes; Half-cells G01N27/414 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/301 Reference electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4166 measuring a particular property of an electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/64 Electrical detectors

Abstract

A detection cell for a chromatography system includes a cell body having an inlet, an outlet, and a counter electrode, a working electrode, a sample flow passageway extending between the inlet and the outlet and in fluid contact with the counter and working electrodes, and a palladium/noble metal reference electrode system. A method of using the detection cell is also described.

Claims

1. A detection cell for a chromatography system, the detection cell comprising:

a cell body having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the cell body includes a counter electrode;

a working electrode;

a sample flow passageway extending between the inlet and the outlet and in fluid contact with the counter and working electrodes; and

a palladium/noble metal reference electrode system.

2. A detection cell according to claim 1, wherein the detection cell is a three-electrode detection system.

3. A detection cell according to claim 1, wherein the cell body is formed of a conductive material.

4. A detection cell according to claim 1, wherein the cell body is formed of a corrosion resistant metal or a conductive polymer.

5. A detection cell according to claim 4, wherein the cell body is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, corrosion resistant alloy, stainless steel, carbon-loaded polyetherether ketone (PEEK), polythiophene, polyindole, and polynaphtalene.

6. A detection cell according to claim 1, wherein the reference electrode system is a palladium/platinum (Pd/Pt) reference electrode system.

7. A detection cell according to claim 1, wherein the reference electrode system includes a reference electrode of the first kind.

8. A detection cell according to claim 1, wherein the reference electrode system includes a palladium (Pd) reference electrode and a platinum (Pt) auxiliary electrode, both reference and auxiliary electrodes being in electrical contact with the fluid sample passageway.

9. A detection cell according to claim 8, wherein the palladium (Pd) reference electrode includes a wire extending into a reference electrode bore of the cell body.

10. A detection cell according to claim 8, wherein the reference electrode is connected, directly or indirectly, to a negative pole of a power supply.

11. A detection cell according to claim 8, wherein the auxiliary electrode is connected, directly or indirectly, to a positive pole of a power supply.

12. A detection cell according to claim 1, further comprising a gasket disposed between the counter and working electrodes and having a cutout forming a thin-layer channel between the counter and working electrodes, wherein the channel is fluidly connected to the inlet and the outlet of the cell body thereby forming a portion of the fluid sample passageway.

13. A detection cell according to claim 1, wherein the a cell body includes an inlet and an electrode cavity fluidly connected to the inlet and the outlet thereby forming a portion of the fluid sample passageway.

14. A detection cell according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the Pd reference electrode and the Pt auxiliary electrode is a wire.

15. A chromatography system comprising the detection cell according to claim 13.

16. A chromatography system comprising the detection cell according to claim 1.

17. A chromatography system comprising a plurality of detection cells according to claim 1, wherein the detection cells are arranged in series.