Miniature high pressure cell for sample characterization

A miniature high pressure cell for sample characterization under pressure, comprising:

• a cell body defining a bore extending along an axis;
• first and second force transmitting elements mounted within said bore, said first and second force transmitting elements having respective first and second force transmitting faces which face towards each other in the axial direction;
• and
• a seal member positioned at least partially in said bore between said force transmitting elements, the seal member having walls defining a through-hole extending axially between respective sides and opening out towards respective force transmitting faces, said seal member and force transmitting elements being arranged such that, in use, the walls of said seal member defining said through-hole and portions of said force transmitting faces define the boundaries of a sealed sample volume in which a pressure transmitting medium and a sample to be characterized may be contained, wherein:
• at least one of said force transmitting elements is moveable so as to press said seal member between the faces;
• the miniature high pressure cell further comprising:
• a force locking apparatus for holding said force transmitting elements pressed against said seal member with a predetermined locking force, such that said sealed sample volume is held pressurized by said predetermined locking force;
• wherein
• said cell body includes a threaded portion and said force locking apparatus comprises at least one locking member with a threaded portion configured to cooperate with the threaded portion of said cell body, said threaded portions being coaxial with the axis of said bore and axially spaced from said seal member;
• and
• an outer diameter of said cell body is less than 9 mm.

A method of pressurizing a sample in a miniature pressure cell, comprising:

• providing a seal member having walls defining a lateral boundary of a sample volume;
• placing a sample to be characterized and a pressurizing medium into said sample volume;
• forcing first and second force transmitting elements towards each other so as to press force transmitting faces of said force transmitting elements against opposite sides of said seal member, said force transmitting faces defining axial boundaries of said sample volume and acting to seal said sample volume;
• applying a force locking apparatus to hold said force transmitting elements pressed against said seal member with a predetermined locking force, said predetermined locking force acting to pressurize said sample volume to a desired pressure, wherein
• said force locking apparatus is applied by screwing a locking member into a locking position by means of cooperating threaded portions formed in said locking member and in said cell, said threaded portions being coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the cell and axially spaced from said seal member;
• and
• an outer diameter of said cell body is less than 9 mm.