Liquid-chromatography apparatus having diffusion-bonded titanium components

Abstract

An HPLC apparatus includes a heat exchanger formed from diffusion-bonded first and second titanium substrates. At least two conduits for counterflow are defined between the first and second substrates.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . An HPLC apparatus, comprising:
 a separation column; and   a flow cell downstream of the separation column, the flow cell comprising
 a cell body comprising titanium or a titanium alloy, the cell body defining a flow channel, an inlet port to receive an eluent from the separation column, and an outlet port, 
 a window disposed adjacent to an inlet of the flow channel, 
 a titanium-based gasket disposed between the window and the cell body and diffusion bonded to the cell body to define a fluid circuit that connects the inlet of the flow channel to the inlet port. 
   
     
     
         18 . The HPLC apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the window is diffusion bonded to the gasket. 
     
     
         19 . The HPLC apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the window in anodically bonded to the gasket. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The HPLC apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the flow cell further comprises a second window disposed adjacent to an outlet of the flow channel cell body, and a second gasket disposed between the second window and the outlet of the flow channel and diffusion bonded to the cell body. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The HPLC apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the window and the gasket further comprise a gold coating layer. 
     
     
         24 . The HPLC apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the titanium-based gasket comprises Ti-6Al-4V. 
     
     
         25 . The HPLC apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising a protective coating formed as a surface layer on the flow channel. 
     
     
         26 . The HPLC apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein surface layer is formed of TiN, TiCN or TiAlN. 
     
     
         27 . An LC apparatus, comprising:
 a detector cell,   a separation column, and   a heat exchanger, the detector cell or separation column disposed downstream of the heat exchanger, to receive a temperature regulated liquid from the heat exchanger, wherein the detector cell or the separation column comprises a diffusion-bonded component and the heat exchanger comprises   a first substrate comprising titanium, and   a second substrate comprising titanium, wherein at least two conduits for countercurrent flow are defined between the first and second substrates, and the second substrate is diffusion bonded to the first substrate or to an intermediate layer comprising titanium.   
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein a protective coating formed as a surface layer is provided on at least one of the conduits. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the surface layer is formed of TiN, TiCN or TiAlN. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the diffusion bonded component shares the first substrate with the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the second substrate is diffusion bonded to the intermediate layer, which defines at least two of the at least two conduits, the at least two conduits disposed adjacent to each other to facilitate heat transfer. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the second substrate is diffusion bonded to the intermediate layer, which defines a first one of the at least two conduits, and further comprising a second intermediate layer patterned to define a second one of the at least two conduits. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , further comprising a spacer layer, comprising titanium, disposed between the first and second intermediate layers. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the spacer layer is diffusion bonded to the first and second intermediate layers. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the first substrate defines inlet and outlet ports in fluid communication with one of the conduits and the second substrate defines inlet and outlet ports in fluid communication with a second one of the conduits. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the first substrate defines a pair of inlet ports and a pair of outlet ports in fluid communication with two of the conduits. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the inlet ports and outlet ports comprise compression ports.