# US 2008/0184886 A1 · Thermal preconcentrator for collection of chemical species

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- Number: US 2008/0184886 A1
- Document ID: US20080184886A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 11/670,774
- Filed: 2007-02-02
- Published: 2008-08-07
- Earliest claimed: 2007-02-02
- Assignees: Research Triangle Institute
- Inventors: Jenia A. Tufts; Anthony L. Andrady; Teri A. Walker; David S. Ensor
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080184886A1

## CPC

- B01D 53/02: by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography {(solid sorbent compositions B01J20/00, preparation of inorganic compounds or elements C01)}
- B01J 20/20: comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
- B01J 20/28004: {Sorbent size or size distribution, e.g. particle size}
- B01J 20/28007: {with size in the range 1-100 nanometers, e.g. nanosized particles, nanofibers, nanotubes, nanowires or the like (carbon nanostructures B01J20/205)}
- B01J 20/28023: {Fibres or filaments (fibres or filaments in the form of membranes B01J20/28038; B01J20/28007 takes precedence)}
- B01J 20/28028: {Particles immobilised within fibres or filaments}
- B01J 20/28033: {Membrane, sheet, cloth, pad, lamellar or mat}
- B01J 20/28038: {Membranes or mats made from fibers or filaments}
- B01J 20/3441: {Regeneration or reactivation by electric current, ultrasound or irradiation, e.g. electromagnetic radiation such as X-rays, UV, light, microwaves}
- B01J 20/3483: {by thermal treatment not covered by groups B01J20/3441 - B01J20/3475, e.g. by heating or cooling}
- B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
- G01N 1/4022: {by thermal techniques; Phase changes}
- G01N 30/12: by evaporation
- B01D 2253/102: Carbon
- B01D 2253/202: Polymeric adsorbents
- B01D 2253/304: Linear dimensions, e.g. particle shape, diameter
- B01D 2259/40088: by heating
- G01N 33/22: Fuels; Explosives
- G01N 2030/121: {cooling; cold traps}
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

A thermal preconcentrator unit and a method for concentrating chemical species. The thermal preconcentrator unit includes a thermoelectric device having a temperature controlled surface and a sorbent material configured to concentrate the chemical species. The sorbent material is disposed on and in thermal contact with the temperature controlled surface. The thermoelectric device is configured to cool and heat the temperature controlled surface to promote sorption and desorption of chemical species onto and from the sorbent material. The method provides a temperature controlled surface and exposes the chemical species to a sorbent material disposed on the temperature controlled surface to concentrate the chemical species thereon.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A thermal preconcentrator unit comprising:
a thermoelectric device having a temperature controlled surface;
a sorbent material disposed on and in thermal contact with the temperature controlled surface, and configured to concentrate a chemical species, and
said thermoelectric device configured to cool and heat the temperature controlled surface to promote sorption and desorption of the chemical species onto and from the sorbent material.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The unit of claim 1, wherein the sorbent material comprises at least one of a fiber mat, a plurality of particles, a film, and a combination thereof.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The unit of claim 1, wherein the sorbent material comprises at least one of a nanofiber mat, a microfiber mat, a plurality of nanoparticles, a plurality of microparticles, a film, and a combination thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The unit of claim 1, wherein the sorbent material comprises at least one of an organic polymer, an inorganic material, and a non-polymeric inorganic material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The unit of claim 1, wherein the sorbent material is configured to concentrate a class of chemical species.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The unit of claim 1, wherein the sorbent material comprises electrospun fibers disposed on the substrate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The unit of claim 6, wherein the temperature controlled surface has a roughness that is at least 5 % of an average fiber diameter of the electrospun fibers.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The unit of claim 6, wherein the electrospun fibers have an average fiber diameter of less than 500 nm.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The unit of claim 6, wherein the electrospun fibers have an average fiber diameter of less than 100 nm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The unit of claim 1, wherein the sorbent material includes carbon black.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The unit of claim 10, wherein the carbon black comprises a concentration of up to 70% of the sorbent material.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The unit of claim 1, wherein the sorbent material includes a porous fiber.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The unit of claim 1, wherein the temperature controlled surface includes an adhesion promoter bonding the sorbent to the surface.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The unit of claim 1, wherein the sorbent material comprises sections having a plurality of materials having respective sorption and desorption properties for different chemical species.

### Claim 15

The unit of Clam 14, wherein the sections are designated for each of the plurality of materials.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The unit of claim 1, wherein the sorbent material comprises a plurality of materials mixed together having respective sorption and desorption properties for different chemical species or classes of chemical species.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The unit of claim 1, wherein the sorbent material comprises a plurality of materials having respective sorption and desorption properties for different chemical species or classes of chemical species and disposed on respective thermoelectric device modules.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The unit of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric device comprises a substrate detachable from the thermoelectric device.

### Claim 19

A thermal preconcentrator unit comprising:
a temperature controlled surface;
a nanonfiber medium having nanofibers of an average fiber diameter less than 1 micron, disposed on and in thermal contact with the temperature controlled surface, and configured to concentrate a chemical species upon sorption on the nanofiber medium, and
a heating and cooling device configured to cool and heat the temperature controlled surface to promote sorption and desorption of the chemical species onto and from the nanofiber medium.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The unit of claim 19, wherein the nanonfiber medium comprises at least one of an organic polymer, an inorganic material, and a non-polymeric inorganic material.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The unit of claim 19, wherein the nanonfiber medium is configured to concentrate a class of chemical species.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The unit of claim 19, wherein the nanonfiber medium comprises electrospun nanofibers disposed on the substrate.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The unit of claim 22, wherein the temperature controlled surface has a roughness that is at least 5% of an average fiber diameter of the electrospun nanofibers.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The unit of claim 22, wherein the electrospun nanofibers have an average fiber diameter of less than 500 nm.

### Claim 25 (depends on 22)

The unit of claim 22, wherein the electrospun nanofibers have an average fiber diameter of less than 100 nm.

### Claim 26

A method for concentrating a chemical species, comprising:
providing a thermoelectric temperature controlled surface;
exposing the chemical species to a sorbent material disposed on the temperature controlled surface to concentrate the chemical species thereon; and
desorbing the chemical species from the sorbent material.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, further comprising:
detecting at least one of the chemical species or a class of the chemical species.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, wherein detecting comprises identifying the chemical species by any one of mass spectrometry, ion mobility, flame ionization, thermal conductivity, and electron capture detection.

### Claim 29 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, wherein exposing comprises:
cooling the sorbent material below room temperature.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, wherein cooling comprises thermoelectrically cooling the temperature controlled surface.

### Claim 31 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, wherein desorbing comprises:
heating the sorbent material to a desorption temperature at which the chemical species or a class of the chemical species desorbs.

### Claim 32 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, wherein
exposing comprises flowing a gas including the chemical species across the sorbent material for a first duration that concentrates a quantity of the chemical species on the sorbent material, and
desorbing comprises desorbing the quantity of concentrated chemical species over a second duration.

### Claim 33 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, wherein
exposing comprises flowing a gas including a first chemical species and a second chemical species, and
desorbing comprises heating the sorbent material to a first temperature to desorb the first chemical species and to a second temperature to desorb the second chemical species.

### Claim 34 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, wherein
exposing comprises flowing a gas including at least three chemical species, and
desorbing comprises heating the sorbent material to a first temperature to desorb a first of the chemical species and to a second temperature to desorb a second of the chemical species and to a third temperature to desorb a third of the chemical species.

### Claim 35 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, wherein exposing comprises:
flowing a gas including the chemical species through a chamber including the temperature controlled surface.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The method of claim 35, further comprising:
setting the temperature of the sorbent material to a first temperature less than a second temperature to concentrate a quantity of the chemical species on the sorbent material;
sealing the chamber and setting the temperature of the sorbent material to the second temperature to desorb the chemical species; and
detecting the chemical species by way of an effluent from the chamber.

### Claim 37

A method for concentrating a chemical species, comprising:
providing a temperature controlled surface;
exposing the chemical species to a nanonfiber medium disposed on the temperature controlled surface to concentrate the chemical species thereon, said nanofiber medium having nanofibers of an average fiber diameter less than 1 micron.

### Claim 38

A system for concentrating and detecting a chemical species, comprising:
a gas feed configured to supply the chemical species;
a thermoelectric device having a temperature controlled surface;
a sorbent material disposed on and in thermal contact with the temperature controlled surface and configured to concentrate the chemical species;
said thermoelectric device configured to cool and heat the temperature controlled surface to promote sorption and desorption of chemical species onto and from the sorbent material; and
a detector configured to detect the chemical species upon desorption from the sorbent material.

### Claim 39 (depends on 38)

The system of claim 38, wherein the detector is configured to detect at least one of the chemical species and a class of the chemical species desorbed from the temperature controlled surface.

### Claim 40 (depends on 38)

The system of claim 38, wherein the detector comprises at least one of mass spectrometry, ion mobility, flame ionization, thermal conductivity, and electron capture detection.

### Claim 41 (depends on 38)

The system of claim 38, further comprising:
a chamber enclosing the thermoelectric device and configured to contain the chemical species upon said desorption.

### Claim 42 (depends on 38)

The system of claim 38, further comprising:
a chamber enclosing plural thermoelectric devices having respective surfaces including respective sorbent materials, the chamber configured to contain the chemical species upon said desorption.