Microwave apparatus and methods for performing chemical reactions
AssigneePersonal Chemistry I'Uppsala AB
InventorMagnus Fagrell
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Abstract
The present invention relates to an apparatus and methods for performing chemical reactions. In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus for heating chemical reaction mixtures. The apparatus applies one or more semiconductor based microwave generators making the apparatus suitable for parallel processing of chemical reaction mixtures. The invention further relates to methods for performing chemical reactions, e.g. methods for heating a plurality of samples simultaneously or sequentially, methods for monitoring a microwave heated chemical reaction, and methods where the optimum conditions with respect to parameters, such frequency and applied power can be determined for the system consisting of apparatus plus sample.
Claims18
An apparatus for providing electromagnetic radiation to a plurality of applicators, each of said plurality of applicators being adapted to hold a reaction vessel containing a sample to be exposed to electromagnetic radiation while said reaction vessel is positioned in one of the plurality of applicators, said apparatus comprising:
- a) a plurality of generating means for generating waves of electromagnetic radiation, each of said plurality of generating means being capable of generating electromagnetic radiation at a plurality of frequencies,
- b) guiding means for guiding at least part of a generated wave of electromagnetic radiation to at least one applicator of the plurality of applicators, and
- c) controlling means for individually controlling the plurality of generating means in response to a control signal, said control signal reflecting the status of a sample in an applicator.
A method of performing a chemical reaction, said method comprising the steps of:
- p1 a) providing a sample in an applicator, p1 b) applying electromagnetic radiation to the sample in form of a first pulse with a predetermined shape and characterising a reflected pulse from the applicator by performing a mathematical operation so as to obtain a first reflected spectrum, p1 c) changing the physical and/or chemical properties of the sample, p1 d) applying electromagnetic radiation to the sample in form of a second pulse with a predetermined shape and characterising a reflected pulse from the applicator by performing a mathematical operation so as to obtain a second reflected spectrum, p1 e) repeating step c) and d) until the difference between the first and second reflected spectra calculated as the mathematical difference (subtraction) between the first and second spectra is within a predetermined range.
A method of performing a plurality of chemical reactions simultaneously, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a first sample into a first applicator,
- b) providing a second sample into a second applicator,
- c) applying electromagnetic radiation to the first sample in the first applicator from a first generating means, said first generating means being capable of generating electromagnetic radiation at a plurality of frequencies,
- d) applying electromagnetic radiation to the second sample in the second applicator from a second generating means, said second generating means being capable of generating electromagnetic radiation at a plurality of frequencies, and
- e) individually controlling the electromagnetic radiation applied to the first and second applicator by individually and independently controlling the first and second generating means in response to control signals from the first and second applicators.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.