Micro-reactor fabrication

Abstract

A micro-reactor that is formed from a plurality of metal foil layers that are shaped by use of lithographic techniques in specific shapes. The formed metal foils layers are stacked and aligned together and then connected together to form one or more portions of the micro-reactor.

1 - 18 . (canceled)  
   
   
       19 . A method of manufacturing a micro-reactor comprising: 
 providing a plurality of metal foil layers having an average thickness of less than about 400 microns;    forming a plurality of said metal foil layers into specific shapes, at least two of said foil layers including at least one opening through the metal foil layer;    stacking and aligning said plurality of said formed metal foil layers, at least one of said openings in adjacently positioned formed metal foil layer at least partially overlap one another; and,    connecting together said plurality of said formed metal layers to form at least a portion of said micro-reactor.    
   
   
       20 . The method as defined in  claim 19 , wherein at least a plurality of said metal foil layers includes a catalyst metal.  
   
   
       21 . The method as defined in  claim 20 , wherein a plurality of said metal foil layers include a catalyst metal about at least a portion of at least one of said openings.  
   
   
       22 . The method as defined in  claim 19 , wherein a plurality of said metal foil layers is at least partially formed by at least one lithographic technique.  
   
   
       23 . The method as defined in  claim 19 , including the step of forming at least one alignment opening in a plurality of said metal foil layers.  
   
   
       24 . The method as defined in  claim 23 , wherein said step of stacking and aligning includes the use of said at least one alignment opening formed in said plurality of said metal foil layers.  
   
   
       25 . The method as defined in  claim 19 , wherein said step of connecting together includes brazing together a plurality of metal foil layers, said brazing metal having a different composition from said plurality of said metal foil layers.  
   
   
       26 . The method as defined in  claim 25 , including the step of coating at least one side of at least one metal foil layer with a brazing metal.  
   
   
       27 . The method as defined in  claim 26 , wherein said brazing metal has an average coating thickness of less than about 10 microns.  
   
   
       28 . A method of manufacturing a micro-reactor comprising: 
 providing a plurality of metal foil layers having an average thickness of less than about 400 microns;    forming a plurality of said metal foil layers into specific shapes, at least two of said foil layers including at least one opening through the metal foil layer;    stacking and aligning said plurality of said formed metal foil layers, at least one of said openings in adjacently positioned formed metal foil layer at least partially overlap one another; and,    connecting together said plurality of said formed metal layers to form at least a portion of said micro-reactor, said portion of said micro-reactor having at least one passageway adapted to allow flow of at least one reactant through said portion of said micro-reactor.    
   
   
       29 . The method as defined in  claim 28 , wherein said opening in said metal foil layer has a maximum cross-sectional width of about 5000 microns.  
   
   
       30 . The method as defined in  claim 28 , wherein at least a portion of an inner wall surface of said at least one passageway includes a metal catalyst.  
   
   
       31 . The method as defined in  claim 29 , wherein at least a portion of an inner wall surface of said at least one passageway includes a metal catalyst.  
   
   
       32 . The method as defined in  claim 28 , wherein a plurality of said metal foil layers are at least partially formed by at least one lithographic technique.  
   
   
       33 . The method as defined in  claim 31 , wherein a plurality of said metal foil layers are at least partially formed by at least one lithographic technique.  
   
   
       34 . The method as defined in  claim 28 , wherein said step of stacking and aligning includes the use of said at least one alignment opening formed in said plurality of said metal foil layers.  
   
   
       35 . The method as defined in  claim 33 , wherein said step of stacking and aligning includes the use of said at least one alignment opening formed in said plurality of said metal foil layers.  
   
   
       36 . The method as defined in  claim 28 , wherein said step of connecting together includes brazing together a plurality of metal foil layers, said brazing metal having a different composition from said plurality of said metal foil layers.  
   
   
       37 . The method as defined in  claim 35 , wherein said step of connecting together includes brazing together a plurality of metal foil layers, said brazing metal having a different composition from said plurality of said metal foil layers.  
   
   
       38 . The method as defined in  claim 36 , including the step of coating at least one side of at least one metal foil layer with a brazing metal.  
   
   
       39 . The method as defined in  claim 37 , including the step of coating at least one side of at least one metal foil layer with a brazing metal.  
   
   
       40 . The method as defined in  claim 36 , wherein said brazing metal has an average coating thickness of less than about 10 microns.  
   
   
       41 . The method as defined in  claim 39 , wherein said brazing metal has an average coating thickness of less than about 10 microns.  
   
   
       42 . A method of manufacturing at least portion of a metal device comprising: 
 generating a computer image of a plurality of metal layers to be formed;    providing a plurality of metal layers;    forming a plurality of said metal layers into specific shapes base at least partially on said computer image, each of said formed metal layers formed by use of at least one cutting technique;    stacking and aligning said plurality of formed metal layers;    connecting together said plurality of formed metal layers to form said portion of said metal device.    
   
   
       43 . The method as defined in  claim 42 , wherein a plurality of said metal foil layers each have an average thickness of up to about 400 microns.  
   
   
       44 . The method as defined in  claim 42 , wherein said at least one cutting technique includes a laser cutting technique.  
   
   
       45 . The method as defined in  claim 42 , wherein said at least one cutting technique includes a lithographic technique.  
   
   
       46 . The method as defined in  claim 42 , wherein said step of forming includes the formation of at least one alignment opening in a plurality of said metal layers.  
   
   
       47 . The method as defined in  claim 46 , wherein said step of stacking and aligning includes the use of said at least one alignment opening formed in a plurality of said metal layers.  
   
   
       48 . The method as defined in  claim 42 , wherein said step of connecting together includes the use of a brazing metal, an adhesive, or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       49 . The method as defined in  claim 48 , wherein said step of connecting together includes the use of heat.  
   
   
       50 . The method as defined in  claim 48 , including the step of coating at least one side of a plurality of metal fb layers with said brazing metal.  
   
   
       51 . The method as defined in  claim 50 , wherein said brazing metal has an average coating thickness of less than about 10 microns.  
   
   
       52 . The method as defined in  claim 42 , wherein said step of generation a computer image includes the steps of generating a computer image of at least a portion of said metal device and then sectioning said computer image of said portion of said metal device into a plurally of sectional images that correspond to a plurality of said formed metal layers.  
   
   
       53 . The method as defined in  claim 52 , wherein said step of forming includes the step of using at least one of said computer generated images of said metal layers to at least partially control the forming of said metal layer.  
   
   
       54 . The method as defined in  claim 53 , including the step of forming at least one mask that is at least partially based from at least one of said computer images and at least partially forming at least one of said formed metal foil layers using said mask.  
   
   
       55 . The method as defined in  claim 42 , wherein said metal device is a device selected from the group consisting of a micro-reactor, a fuel cell or extrusion device.  
   
   
       56 . The method as defined in  claim 55 , wherein at least a plurality of said metal layers includes a catalyst metal.  
   
   
       57 . The method as defined in  claim 56 , wherein a plurality of said metal layers include an opening and have a catalyst metal about at least a portion of said opening.