Apparatus for Parallel Sieving of Materials

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for combinatorial (i.e., high-throughput) materials research, such as catalysis research, that involves parallel apparatus for simultaneously effecting mechanical treatments such as grinding, mixing, pressing, crushing, sieving, and/or fractionating of such materials are disclosed. The methods and apparatus are useful for mechanically treating catalysis materials and other solid materials, including without limitation, electronic materials such as phosphors, colorants such as pigments, and pharmaceuticals such as crystalline drugs or drug candidates. The simultaneous protocols and parallel apparatus offer substantial improvements in overall throughput for preparing arrays of materials, such as catalysis materials.

1 . A parallel sieving apparatus comprising: 
 a coarse sieve apparatus and a fine sieve apparatus arranged below the coarse sieve apparatus; each sieve apparatus comprising a sieve body and a sieve bottom;    wherein the sieve body of each sieve apparatus comprises a plurality of cavities defined by walls of the sieve body and wherein the sieve bottom of each sieve apparatus comprise a plurality of apertures corresponding to the cavities of the respective sieve body;    wherein the coarse sieve apparatus comprises a coarse particle sieve held in place by the sieve bottom of the coarse sieve apparatus and wherein the fine sieve apparatus comprises a fine particle sieve held in place by the sieve bottom of the fine sieve apparatus.    
     
     
         2 . The parallel sieving apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising additional sieve apparatuses.  
     
     
         3 . The parallel sieving apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a parallel fines collector comprising a plurality of cavities for receiving particles small enough for falling through the sieve apparatuses.  
     
     
         4 . The parallel sieving apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the parallel fines collector comprises a collector body and a collector bottom, wherein the cavities of the parallel fines collector are defined by walls of the collector body.  
     
     
         5 . The parallel sieving apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the plurality is four or more.  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus for parallel fractionating of four or more materials, comprising: 
 a first sieve apparatus and a second sieve apparatus arranged below the first sieve apparatus, each sieve apparatus comprising a sieve body and a sieve bottom;    wherein the sieve body and the sieve bottom of each sieve apparatus comprise a plurality of spatially discrete apertures; wherein the apertures of the first sieve apparatus and the apertures of the second sieve apparatus are aligned with each other;    a plurality of first sieves situated in the first sieve apparatus and a plurality of second sieves situated in the second sieve apparatus;    wherein both the first and second sieves each define a curvilinear surface such as a portion of a cylinder; and wherein the plurality of first and second sieves are secured against the sieve body of the first and second sieve apparatus by the sieve bottom of the first and second sieve apparatus, respectively.    
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the first sieve apparatus comprises alignment apertures and wherein the second sieve apparatus comprises alignment posts corresponding to the alignment apertures of the first sieve apparatus.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the plurality of apertures of the sieve body and the sieve bottom of each sieve apparatus comprise ten or more apertures.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the plurality of apertures of the sieve body and the sieve bottom of each sieve apparatus comprise twenty-five or more apertures.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the plurality of apertures of the sieve body and the sieve bottom of each sieve apparatus comprise forty or more apertures.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 6  further comprising a parallel fines collector arranged below the second sieve apparatus, the parallel fines collector comprising a plurality of cavities, wherein the plurality of cavities correspond to the plurality of apertures of the sieving apparatuses.