Enrichment and separation of isotopes, isotopologues, or other chemical species, via differential embedding in a capture matrix
AssigneeThe University of Chicago
InventorsSteven J. Sibener, Kevin D. Gibson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods for enriching, separating, or enriching and separating isotopes and isotopologues, as well as other chemical species, contained in a supersonic beam are provided. In the methods, a supersonic beam having different isotopes, isotopologues, or other chemical species entrained therein and a beam comprising a matrix material converge on a surface. As the matrix material forms a solid matrix on the surface, heavier isotopes, isotopologues, and/or other chemical species become preferentially embedded in the matrix, while lighter isotopes, isotopologues, and/or other chemical species are preferentially scattered from the surface.
Claims17
A method for enriching, separating, or enriching and separating chemical species having different masses, the method comprising:
- directing a first beam onto a surface, the first beam comprising a matrix material that forms a solid matrix on the surface;
- directing a second beam onto the surface, such that the second beam converges with the first beam at the surface, wherein the second beam is a supersonic beam comprising a first chemical species and a second chemical species, the first chemical species having a higher incident momentum than the second chemical species, whereby the first chemical species is preferentially embedded in the solid matrix, relative to the second chemical species;
- and
- releasing the first chemical species from the solid matrix and collecting the released first chemical species, collecting the second chemical species scattered from the solid matrix, or both.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.