Glass Micro-Reactor Bonding via Hydrophilic Surface Polishing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional small-sized reactors face issues with bonding strength, visibility of reaction processes, impurity contamination, and limited high-temperature and high-pressure capabilities, particularly when using stainless steel or adhesive-bonded glass micro-reactors.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the bonding of inorganic transparent substrates, such as glass, with polished and hydrophilically enhanced surfaces, using a process that includes centrifugal removal of water and heat treatment between 500°C to 1000°C to achieve strong chemical bonding without adhesives, allowing for high-pressure and high-temperature operations while enabling observation of reaction processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If stainless steel sheets are bonded together to form a micro-reactor, then the structural strength is improved, but the chemical resistance to acids and alkalis deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from stainless steel to glass or quartz glass, which fundamentally alters the chemical resistance properties while maintaining structural integrity through proper bonding techniques
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction with glass or quartz glass substrates bonded together, combining the chemical resistance of glass with the structural strength achieved through multiple bonded layers
2Ease of manufacture
If adhesive is used to bond glass plates together, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the purity of the chemical reaction system deteriorates due to adhesive components mixing into the reaction system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the adhesive component from the bonding process, using instead direct bonding of glass surfaces through polishing and hydroxyl group formation, thereby removing the source of contamination
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the chemical bonding mechanism (adhesive) with a physical/chemical surface preparation mechanism (polishing and hydroxyl group formation) that enables direct bonding without foreign materials
3Ease of manufacture
If adhesive is used to bond glass plates, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the bonding strength and high-temperature capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the adhesive intermediary and achieves direct bonding between glass surfaces through surface preparation and hydroxyl group formation, eliminating the temperature limitations of adhesives
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the bonding mechanism from adhesive-based to direct glass-to-glass bonding through surface hydroxylation, enabling high-temperature operation above the glass transition temperature
4Stability of the object's composition
If the micro-reactor is made opaque or non-transparent, then the structural integrity is improved, but the ability to observe reaction progress deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optical parameter of the reactor material to be transparent, allowing visual observation of reactions while maintaining structural integrity through proper glass selection and bonding
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The resulting reactor offers stable chemical reactions, high safety, high yield, and the ability to observe reaction progress, with no adhesive-related impurities and the capability to operate at elevated temperatures and pressures, facilitating miniaturization and scalability.
Implementation Method 1
polishing the surface(s) for bonding of each of the inorganic transparent substrates so that a centerline average roughness Ra will be not greater than 2 nm
Implementation Method 2
hydrophilicity enhancing the surface(s) for bonding of each of the inorganic transparent substrates and subsequently allowing the surfaces for bonding to be contacted with water
Implementation Method 3
removing water contacted with the surfaces for bonding following the hydrophilicity enhancing processing under centrifugal force caused by rotation of each of the inorganic transparent substrates
Implementation Method 4
heating, as the surfaces for bonding of the inorganic transparent substrates are contacted with one another, each of the inorganic transparent substrates to a preset bonding temperature to bond the inorganic transparent substrates to one another
Data Source
Figure 1a~1f
Figure 2~3b
Figure 4(a)~4(e)
AI summary
A small-sized reactor having practical utility in light of a bonding force, ease in observation, exemption from impurities and high resistance against pressure, is provided. In bonding a plural number of inorganic transparent substrates (11) to (13) to form a small-sized reactor, surfaces for bonding (16) to (19) of the inorganic transparent substrates (11) to (13), bonded on contact to one another, are initially polished and planarized. A part of the surface of each of the surfaces for bonding is then machined. The surfaces for bonding (16) to (19) are then hydrophilicity enhanced and washed with pure water. A film of pure water is swung off and removed by a centrifugal force. The resultant product is then heated with the surfaces for bonding in contact with one another. The surfaces for bonding, in contact with one another, may be bonded together by chemical bonding via oxygen to form small-sized reactors (1), (2) in which the inorganic transparent substrates (11) to (13) are bonded together strongly. The reactor is transparent and hence an inner reaction may be observed. Moreover, the reactor is rigid and hence is high in resistance against pressure. Since no adhesive is used, there is no fear of dissolution of impurities.