Conductive conduits for chemical analyses, and methods for making such conduits
AssigneeWaters Technologies Corporation
InventorsAnanya Dubey, Jeffrey W. Finch, Jennifer H. Granger, James P. Murphy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for making a fluid-processing apparatus involves mixing a colloidal suspension with a matrix material, applying the mixture to a surface of a conduit, and curing the applied mixture to provide a conductive coating. A fluid-processing apparatus includes a conduit and a conductive layer adjacent to a surface of the conduit. The conductive layer includes graphite particles embedded in a matrix. The fluid-processing apparatus supports, for example, electrospray-ionization for mass spectrometry, capillary electrophoresis, or capillary electro-chromatography.
Claims34
A method for making a fluid-processing apparatus for chemical analyses, comprising:
- providing a mixture of a colloidal suspension and a matrix material having an uncured state;
- applying at least a portion of the mixture to at least a portion of a surface of a conduit;
- and
- curing the applied mixture to form a cured conductive coating for applying a voltage to a fluid passing through the conduit.
A method for analyzing a compound, comprising:
- providing an analytical instrument comprising an electrospray-ionization interface fabricated by a method comprising the steps of,
- mixing a colloidal suspension with a matrix material having an uncured state,
- applying at least a portion of the mixture to at least a portion of a surface of an emitter conduit, and
- curing the applied mixture to form a cured conductive coating for applying a voltage to a fluid passing through the emitter conduit to cause an electrospray aerosol to be emitted from the emitter conduit;
- and
- unclogging a tip of the emitter conduit by cleaving or cutting the emitter conduit to remove a clogged portion of the emitter conduit.
A mass-spectrometry interface for electrospray ionization, comprising:
- an emitter conduit;
- and
- a conductive layer adjacent to at least a portion of an exterior surface of the emitter conduit for applying a voltage to a fluid in the emitter conduit, the conductive layer comprising a cured mixture of an initially uncured matrix material comprising a siloxane-based thermoset polymer and a colloidal suspension of graphite particles, wherein the volume ratio of the uncured matrix material to the colloidal suspension is in a range of from about 1:2 to about 1:4.
An analytical instrument, comprising:
- a chromatography module;
- a mass-spectrometry module;
- and
- an electrospray-ionization interface in fluid communication with the chromatography module and the mass-spectrometry module for converting an eluent received from the chromatography module into an electrospray aerosol for delivery to the mass-spectrometry module, the electrospray-ionization interface comprising,
- an emitter capillary, and
- a conductive layer adjacent to at least a portion of an exterior surface of the emitter capillary for applying a voltage to a fluid in the emitter capillary, the conductive layer comprising a cured mixture of an initially uncured matrix material comprising a siloxane-based thermoset polymer and a colloidal suspension of graphite particles, wherein the volume ratio of the uncured matrix material to the colloidal suspension is in a range of from about 1:2 to about 1:4.
A method for making an apparatus for chemical analyses, comprising:
- mixing a colloidal suspension of graphite particles with a matrix material comprising a siloxane-based thermoset polymer, wherein the mixture has an uncured state;
- applying at least a portion of the uncured mixture to at least a portion of a surface of a substrate;
- and
- curing the applied mixture to form a cured conductive coating.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.