Micro-reactor fabrication

• US 6,994,245 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2003
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JMP Laboratories, Inc.
• Original Assignee: James M. Pinchot
• Inventors: Pinchot, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, JONATHAN J
• Application Number:
  US10/688,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20050082351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 422/191, 228/103, 228/254
• US Class Current: 228/254
• 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 2219/00788 Three-dimensional assemblies, i.e. the reactor comprising a form other than a stack of plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00822 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00835 Comprising catalytically active material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00326 Analysers with modular structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49345 Catalytic device making

Abstract

A micro-reactor that is formed from a plurality of metal foil layers that are shaped by use of lithographic techniques in specific shapes. The formed metal foils layers are stacked and aligned together and then connected together to form one or more portions of the micro-reactor.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing at least portion of a micro-reactor comprising:

providing a plurality of metal foil layers;

forming a plurality of metal foil layers into specific shapes by use of at least one lithographic technique;

stacking and aligning said plurality of formed metal layers;

connecting together said plurality of formed metal layers to form said portion of said micro-reactor;

including the step of generating a computer image of said portion of said micro-reactor and then sectioning said computer image of said portion of said micro-reactor into a plurality of sectional images that correspond to a plurality of said formed metal foil layers.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein a plurality of said metal foil layers are formed of a catalyst metal.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein a plurality of said metal foil layers each have an average thickness less than about 400 microns.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one lithographic technique includes photo-etching.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of forming includes the formation of at least one alignment opening in at least one metal foil layer.

6. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein said step of stacking and aligning includes the use of at least one alignment opening formed in a plurality of metal foil layers.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of connecting together includes brazing together a plurality of metal foil layers.

8. The method as defined in claim 7, including the step of coating at least one side of a plurality of metal foil layers with a brazing metal.

9. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein said brazing metal has an average coating thickness of less than about 10 microns.

10. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein said step of brazing includes vacuum brazing.

11. The method as defined in claim 1, including the step of generating a computer image of a plurality of said formed metal foil layers.

12. The method as defined in claim 1, including the step of forming at least one mask from at least one of said computer images and at least partially forming at least one of said formed metal foil layers using said mask.

13. The method as defined in claim 1, including the step of forming at least one mask from at least one of said sectional images and at least partially forming at least one of said formed metal foil layers using said mask.

14. A method of manufacturing at least portion of a micro-reactor comprising:

selecting a micro-reactor shape having at least one passageway in said micro-reactor, said at least one passageway adapted to allow flow of at least one reactant through at least a portion of said micro-reactor;

generating a computer image of a plurality of metal foil layers, a plurality of said metal foil layers including an opening that at least partially forms at least one passageway in said micro-reactor;

forming a plurality of metal foil layers into specific shapes by use of at least one lithographic technique based at least partially on said generated computer image;

stacking and aligning said plurality of formed metal layers, said metal foil layers being stacked and aligned to at least partially orient at least one opening in a plurality of said metal foil layers to at least partially form said at least one passageway in said micro-reactor; and

,

connecting together said plurality of formed metal layers to form at least a portion of said micro-reactor.

15. The method as defined in claim 14, wherein a plurality of said metal foil layers has a thickness of less than about 400 microns.

16. The method as defined in claim 14, wherein said opening in said metal foil layer has a maximum cross-sectional width of about 5000 microns.

17. The method as defined in claim 15, wherein said opening in said metal foil layers has a maximum cross-sectional width of about 5000 microns.

18. The method as defined in claim 14, wherein said at least one passageway in said micro-reactor includes a catalyst.

19. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein said at least one passageway in said micro-reactor includes a catalyst.

20. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein at least a portion of a wall of said passageway is formed of said catalyst.

21. The method as defined in claim 19, wherein at least a portion of a wall of said passageway is formed of said catalyst.

22. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein at least one of said metal foil layers includes a catalyst metal, said catalyst metal at least partially promoting a reaction of said at least one reactant.

23. The method as defined in claim 14, wherein a plurality of metal foil layers are connected together by a brazing metal, said brazing metal having a different composition from said metal foil layer.

24. The method as defined in claim 21, wherein a plurality of metal foil layers are connected together by a brazing metal, said brazing metal having a different composition from said metal foil layer.

25. The method as defined in claim 23, wherein said brazing metal has an average coating thickness of less than about 10 microns.

26. The method as defined in claim 23, wherein said step of brazing includes vacuum brazing.

27. The method as defined in claim 14, wherein said step of aligning said plurality of metal foil layers includes aligning at least one alignment opening in said metal foil layer with another alignment opening in another metal foil layer.

28. The method as defined in claim 24, wherein said step of aligning said plurality of metal foil layers includes aligning at least one alignment opening in said metal foil layer with another alignment opening in another metal foil layer.

29. The method as defined in claim 14, wherein a plurality of metal foil layers includes at least two openings to form a plurality of passageways in said micro-reactor.

30. The method as defined in claim 28, wherein a plurality of metal foil layers includes at least two openings to form a plurality of passageways in said micro-reactor.