JP2007144288A - Chemical device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a chemical device which has a large cross-sectional area of a microchannel and has a large throughput and which is easily decomposed and inexpensive. <P>SOLUTION: The chemical device is to circulate two types of a hydrophilic liquid 9 and a hydrophobic liquid 10 that can not be mixed mutually and has different lyophilic properties between the annular flaky gap 2. The chemical device has a hydrophilic face 6 of one face that is the opposite face between the annular flaky gap 2 and a hydrophobic face 7 of the other face. It is preferable that the parts of the opposite faces between the annular flaky gap are in contact with or the gap in the parts of the opposite faces between the annular flaky gap becomes narrow. The width of the flaky gap is from 1 μm or more to 3,000 μm or less. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a chemical apparatus that causes fluids that are not miscible with each other to flow in a laminar flow in a flow channel having a minute flow channel width and performs mass transfer and chemical reaction between the fluids.

  In recent years, a microchemical device has been developed in which a fluid is circulated in a laminar flow through a channel having a microscale channel width to diffuse and mix in the direction of the contact interface. These microchemical devices are called micromixers or microreactors and have been developed in the fields of chemical reaction, microanalysis, and the like. The flow path of the microchemical device is micro-scale, and the Reynolds number is small because the dimensions are small and the flow velocity of the fluid flowing in the flow path is small. Therefore, the fluid flowing in the microscale channel is not turbulent as in a general batch reactor, but is laminar. Under laminar flow control, diffusion through the interface is dominant even when two liquid flows are brought into contact. The time required for diffusion is proportional to the square of the diffusion distance according to Fick's law. That is, in the molecular diffusion, the diffusion time becomes faster as the channel width is reduced. Therefore, if the flow path width becomes 1/10, the diffusion time becomes 1/100.

  In a micro-scale space, molecular transport, reaction, and separation can be performed quickly only by the spontaneous behavior of molecules without using mechanical stirring. It is also possible to extract a compound produced by the reaction from the reaction liquid phase to the extraction liquid phase in a microscale flow path, or to extract substances other than the target compound into the extraction liquid phase. In addition, since the surface area per unit volume is large in the microscale space, it is said to be very advantageous for diffusion at the interface where two liquid laminar flows contact. It also suggests that in a two-phase chemical reaction system between an organic phase and an aqueous phase, the reaction efficiency increases because the area of the interface where the two phases contact is large.

  However, even if two liquids that are immiscible with each other are circulated through the micro-scale flow path, it is not always easy to obtain a stable laminar flow, and each may be concentrated and become a lump. As a result, the mass exchange efficiency between immiscible fluids and the two-phase chemical reaction system between the organic phase and the aqueous phase also cause a reduction in the reaction efficiency through the interface where the two phases contact.

While various microchemical devices have been developed, in Patent Document 1, the contact angle with the water on the inner surface of the flow path is formed continuously from a low contact angle portion and a high contact angle portion from the upstream to the downstream of the flow path. A chemical device is disclosed. Patent Document 2 discloses a microchemical device in which the amphiphilicity of one inner wall of the flow path inner wall is different from that of the other inner wall. In these microchemical devices, among the fluids with different amphiphilic properties, hydrophobic fluids tend to form a stable laminar flow on the hydrophobic inner wall side, and hydrophilic fluids easily form a laminar flow on the hydrophilic inner wall side. It is said that a decrease in efficiency can be suppressed.
JP 2001-340753 A JP 2004-305937 A

  However, since the microchemical device disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 uses a groove dug in a chip by etching or the like as a flow path, the cross-sectional area of the micro-order flow path is small, so the processing amount is not necessarily limited. That's not enough. Further, a chip manufactured by bonding or the like is expensive, and is not easily disassembled, and may have to be discarded when the flow path is contaminated when used for a long period of time. In the case of contamination, a cleaning liquid may be poured into the flow path to perform cleaning, but the inner wall of the flow path does not always maintain the desired hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity after cleaning.

  The present invention has been made in view of such background art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a chemical apparatus that has a large cross-sectional area of a microchannel, a large processing amount, is easy to decompose, and is inexpensive.

  The chemical device of the present invention is a chemical device for circulating two kinds of fluids having different lyophilicity, which are not miscible with each other, in one of the annular flaky gaps, and one of the opposing faces of the annular flaky gap. The surface has a hydrophilic surface, and the other surface has a hydrophobic surface.

It is preferable that a part of the opposing surface of the annular flaky gap is in contact.
It is preferable that a gap in a part of the facing surface of the ring-shaped flaky gap is narrow.

  The width of the flaky gap is preferably 1 μm or more and 3000 μm or less.

  In the chemical apparatus of the present invention, the area of the contact interface between two types of fluids that are immiscible with each other and different in hydrophilicity increases, so that efficient extraction and chemical reaction through the contact interface can be performed. Since the cross-sectional area can be increased while maintaining the width of the annular flaky gap, the amount of processing fluid can be increased. Since the circular tube and the cylinder are coupled by being fitted into the coupling member, the circular tube and the column can be easily detached independently, and thus can be cleaned or replaced in the case of contamination or the like. Since the chemical apparatus of the present invention does not use a semiconductor process and does not require a special processing apparatus such as fusion, and can be manufactured by machining, it can be manufactured at low cost.

The details and operation of the basic components and more specific aspects of the present invention are described below by way of typical examples.
A chemical apparatus 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the fluid flow direction of one embodiment of the chemical apparatus of the present invention. 1A is a cross-sectional view showing the flow direction of the fluid in the chemical apparatus, FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in the normal direction to the flow direction of the fluid in the chemical apparatus, and FIG. It is BB sectional drawing of a normal line direction with respect to the flow direction of the fluid of an outflow port.

  The chemical apparatus 1 according to the present invention allows two kinds of fluids having different ambiphilic properties to flow through the annular flaky gap 2. In the present invention, fluids having different lyophilic properties represent a hydrophilic fluid and a hydrophobic fluid. Examples of the hydrophilic fluid include ethanol and water, and examples of the hydrophobic fluid include n-hexane, ethyl acetate, toluene, xylene, and the like.

  The ring-shaped flaky gap 2 of the chemical device 1 is formed by arranging a column 4 at the axial center of the circular tube 3. A circular tube may be used without using a cylinder. If a circular tube is used, the cost of the member can be reduced because there is a gap in the center of the axis relative to the cylinder. Moreover, there exists an effect of weight reduction of the chemical apparatus 1 itself. Two types of fluids having different amphiphilic properties, which are not miscible with each other, are introduced into the annular flaky gap 2 from the introduction port 5. In FIG. 1, the inner diameter surface of the circular tube 3 has a hydrophilic surface 6, and the surface of the cylinder 4 has a hydrophobic surface 7. The lyophilicity of the circular tube and the cylinder may be opposite, that is, the inner surface of the circular tube may be a hydrophobic surface and the surface of the cylinder may be a hydrophilic surface.

  In the chemical device 1 of the present invention, it is preferable that a part of the opposed surfaces of the annular flaky gap contact each other. As a result, the fluid flowing out from the outlet 8 is unlikely to become a plurality of small lumps, and the interface between the two liquids flows out in a stable manner. As shown in FIG. 1, by thickening a part of one end of the column 4, it is possible to make a part of the opposed surfaces of the annular flaky gap contact each other. As shown in FIG. 1, the two-phase cross-sectional shape of the hydrophilic liquid 9 and the hydrophobic liquid 10 which are formed concentrically when a part of the opposing surfaces of the flaky gap on the outlet 8 side is brought into contact with each other. It can be made to flow out from the outlet 8 by changing. As a result, the two liquids that have flowed out can be separated into two phases that are in a positional relationship with respect to the direction of gravity.

  Moreover, it is preferable that the chemical | medical apparatus 1 of this invention has the clearance gap in a part of the surface where the ring-shaped flaky clearance opposes narrow. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the flow direction of fluid in another embodiment of the chemical apparatus of the present invention. 3A is a cross-sectional view showing the flow direction of the fluid in the chemical apparatus, FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along the CC line in the normal direction to the flow direction of the fluid in the chemical apparatus, and FIG. It is DD sectional drawing of a normal line direction with respect to the flow direction of the fluid of an outflow port. As shown in FIG. 3, at the outlet of the chemical apparatus, by narrowing the gap between the opposing surfaces of the ring-shaped flaky gap, the fluid does not stay in the flaky gap and flows out of the outlet. Are difficult to form a plurality of small lumps, and the interface between the two liquids flows out in a stable form. The narrowing gap is preferably such that no fluid remains in the flaky gap.

  Two types of fluids that are not miscible with each other and have different lyophilic properties include a hydrophilic surface 6 on one side of the opposite surface of the gap and a hydrophobic surface 7 on the other side. Therefore, the hydrophilic liquid 9 forms a stable laminar flow on the hydrophilic surface 6 side, while the hydrophobic liquid 10 forms a stable laminar flow on the hydrophobic surface 7 side. As a result, a stable interface is formed between two types of fluids that are not miscible with each other and have different amphiphilic properties, and mass transfer and chemical reaction are performed through the interface.

  Two types of fluids having different hydrophilicity that are immiscible with each other introduced from the introduction port 5 may be introduced separately from different introduction ports 5, but may be introduced from the same introduction port 5. Even if two types of fluids that are immiscible with each other introduced from the introduction port 5 are in an emulsion state or a suspended state, a hydrophilic surface is formed while the annular flake-like gap flows through the gap. 6 has a stable laminar flow on the hydrophilic surface 6 side, while the hydrophobic liquid 10 forms a stable laminar flow on the hydrophobic surface 7 side and can separate the two phases to form a stable interface. can do.

  As a result, it becomes possible to extract the target compound from the reaction liquid phase that is not miscible with each other to the extraction liquid phase, or to transfer substances other than the target compound from the reaction liquid phase to the extraction layer.

  The material used as the chemical apparatus 1 used in the present invention is selected from materials suitable for the fluid to be used in terms of heat resistance, pressure resistance and solvent resistance. For example, metal, glass, silicon, Teflon (registered trademark), and ceramics are preferable, but metal is preferable. Examples of the metal include stainless steel, hastelloy (Ni—Fe alloy) nickel, gold, platinum, tantalum and the like, but the metal material of the flow path of the chemical device 1 used in the present invention is not limited to these. Moreover, in order to obtain the corrosion resistance of a flow path and desired surface energy, you may use what gave the surface the lining process.

  In the lyophilicity of the surfaces of the circular tube 3 and the cylinder 4, as a method of hydrophilization, plasma treatment, chemical modification of the surface, coating with a hydrophilic resin, etc. are possible, but not limited to these. It is preferable to carry out the method in a resistant manner. On the other hand, the method of hydrophobizing can be performed by plasma treatment, chemical modification of the surface, coating with a hydrophobic resin, or the like, but is not limited thereto, and is preferably performed by a method that is resistant to the circulating fluid. If the material of the circular tube 3 and the cylinder 4 to be used has a desired lyophilic property in advance, these processes need not be performed.

  The chemical apparatus 1 of the present invention can arrange the cylinder 4 at the axial center of the circular tube 3 by fitting the circular tube 3 and the circular column 4 into the coupling member 11. The connecting member 6 can be processed by machining without using a semiconductor process, and can be manufactured at low cost. By providing the introduction port 5 in the coupling member 11, two kinds of fluids having different amphiphilic properties that are not miscible with each other can be circulated in the annular flaky gap. Since the circular tube 3 and the column 4 can be easily detached from the coupling member 11, the circular tube 3 and the column 4 can be individually cleaned and replaced.

  The width of the annular flaky gap 2 is not less than 1 μm and not more than 3000 μm, which is a microscale. The molecular diffusion on the microscale becomes faster as the channel width is reduced. Therefore, the channel width is 3000 μm or less, preferably 1000 μm or less, and preferably 500 μm or less. The annular flaky gap 2 is formed by the difference between the inner diameter of the circular tube 3 and the outer shape of the cylinder 4. Therefore, if the width of the desired annular flaky gap 2 is formed, the diameters of the circular tube 3 and the cylinder 4 can be increased. As a result, the cross-sectional area of the ring-shaped flaky gap 2 is increased, the processing amount can be increased, and the contact interface between the two kinds of fluids is also increased. improves.

  It also suggests that in a two-phase chemical reaction system between an organic phase and an aqueous phase, the reaction efficiency increases because the area of the interface where the two phases contact is large.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, although an Example demonstrates this invention in detail, this invention is not limited to these Examples.
Example 1
The chemical apparatus of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 shows an example of a chemical apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  The chemical apparatus 1 introduces two types of fluids having different philicity that are not miscible with each other into the annular flaky gap 2 from the introduction port 5. The annular flaky gap of the present embodiment is formed by arranging the column 4 at the axial center of the circular tube 3. The circular tube 3 and the column 4 are coupled by the coupling member 11, and the column 4 is disposed at the axial center of the circular tube 3. The circular tube 3 and the cylinder 4 can be detached from the coupling member 11 independently. Therefore, after use, the circular tube 3 and the cylinder 4 can be detached and cleaned or replaced independently. An inlet 5 is formed in the coupling member 11. Two types of fluids that are immiscible with each other introduced from the introduction port 5 may be introduced separately from different introduction ports 5 or may be introduced from the same introduction port 5.

  The diameter of the cylinder 4 is 26 mmφ and the inner diameter of the circular tube 3 is 26.6 mmφ, and a 300 μm gap is formed as the annular flaky gap 2 formed thereby. As shown in FIG. 1, one end of the cylinder 4 has a part of the diameter that is in contact with the inner wall of the circular tube 3. The material of the cylinder 4 is made of Teflon (registered trademark) and has a highly hydrophobic surface 7. On the other hand, the circular tube 3 is made of plasma ozone-cleaned glass and has a highly hydrophilic surface 6. As a result, one of the opposing surfaces of the ring-shaped flaky gap has a hydrophilic surface, and the other surface has a hydrophobic surface.

Two types of fluids with different lyophilicity that are not miscible with each other from the introduction port 5 flow through the gap in the annular flake-like gap, while the hydrophilic fluid forms a stable laminar flow on the hydrophilic surface side On the other hand, the hydrophobic fluid forms a stable laminar flow on the hydrophobic surface side, and is separated into two phases in the flaky gap. Mass transfer is performed from the interface between the two liquids separated here, but in the chemical apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, since the area of the contact interface of the two phases in contact is large, efficient extraction is performed. Also, in a two-phase chemical reaction system between an organic phase and an aqueous phase, the reaction efficiency is increased because the area of the interface where the two phases contact is large.
Water and ethyl acetate are used for the two types of fluids that are not miscible and have different amphiphilic properties.

Example 2
The chemical apparatus of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 shows an example of a chemical apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

  The chemical apparatus 1 introduces two types of fluids having different philicity that are not miscible with each other into the annular flaky gap 2 from the introduction port 5. The annular flaky gap of this embodiment is formed by arranging a circular tube 12 having a diameter different from that of the circular tube 3 at the axial center of the circular tube 3. The circular tube 3 and the circular tube 12 are coupled by the coupling member 11, and the circular tube 12 is disposed at the axial center of the circular tube 3. The circular tube 3 and the circular tube 12 can be detached from the coupling member 11 independently. Therefore, after use, the circular tube 3 and the circular tube 12 can be independently removed and cleaned or replaced. An inlet 5 is formed in the coupling member 11. Two types of fluids that are immiscible with each other introduced from the introduction port 5 may be introduced separately from different introduction ports 5 or may be introduced from the same introduction port 5.

  The outer diameter of the circular tube 12 is 26 mmφ and the inner diameter of the circular tube 3 is 27 mmφ, and a 500 μm gap is formed as the annular flaky gap 2 formed thereby. As shown in FIG. 2, one end of the circular tube 12 has a part of the diameter that is in contact with the inner wall of the circular tube 3. The material of the circular tube 12 is made of glass that has been subjected to plasma ozone cleaning, and has a highly hydrophilic surface. On the other hand, the circular tube 3 is obtained by modifying the surface of the plasma ozone-cleaned glass with a silane coupling agent having a fluorine functional group, and has a high hydrophobic surface. As a result, one of the opposing surfaces of the ring-shaped flaky gap has a hydrophilic surface, and the other surface has a hydrophobic surface.

Two types of fluids with different lyophilicity that are not miscible with each other from the inlet 5 flow through the gaps in the ring-shaped flaky gap, while the hydrophilic fluid forms a stable laminar flow on the hydrophilic surface side On the other hand, the hydrophobic fluid forms a stable laminar flow on the hydrophobic surface side, and is separated into two phases in the flaky gap. Mass transfer is performed from the interface between the two liquids separated here, but in the chemical apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, since the area of the contact interface of the two phases in contact is large, efficient extraction is performed. Also, in a two-phase chemical reaction system between an organic phase and an aqueous phase, the reaction efficiency is increased because the area of the interface where the two phases contact is large.
Weakly acidic aqueous solution and toluene are used for the two types of fluids having different hydrophilicity that are not miscible.

Example 3
The chemical apparatus 1 is the same as that of Example 2 except that the outer diameter of the circular tube 12 shown in FIG. 2 is 50 mmφ and the inner diameter of the circular tube 3 is 51 mmφ. Even if the annular flaky gap 2 is 500 μm as in the second embodiment, the cross-sectional area of the annular flaky gap 2 is increased, and the unit time from the first supply port 2 and the second supply port 3 is increased. Since the amount of fluid that can be supplied per unit can be increased, the amount of processing can be increased.

Example 4
The chemical apparatus 1 of the present embodiment introduces two kinds of fluids having different amphiphilic properties that are not miscible with each other into the annular flaky gap 2 from the inlet 5. The annular flaky gap of this embodiment is formed by arranging the circular tube 12 at the axial center of the circular tube 3. The circular tube 3 and the circular tube 12 are coupled by the coupling member 11, and the circular tube 12 is disposed at the axial center of the circular tube 3. The circular tube 3 and the circular tube 12 can be detached from the coupling member 11 independently. Therefore, after use, the circular tube 3 and the circular tube 12 can be independently removed and cleaned or replaced. An inlet 5 is formed in the coupling member 11. Two types of fluids that are immiscible with each other introduced from the introduction port 5 may be introduced separately from different introduction ports 5 or may be introduced from the same introduction port 5.

  The diameter of the circular tube 12 is 50 mmφ and the inner diameter of the circular tube 3 is 50.6 mmφ, and a 300 μm gap is formed as the annular flaky gap 2 formed thereby. One end of the circular tube 12 is partly large in diameter so as to contact the inner wall of the circular tube 3. The circular tube 12 is made of Teflon (registered trademark) and has a highly hydrophobic surface. On the other hand, the circular tube 3 is made of plasma ozone-cleaned glass and has a highly hydrophilic surface. One of the opposing surfaces of the ring-shaped flaky gap has a hydrophilic surface, and the other surface has a hydrophobic surface. Even if the annular flaky gap 2 is 300 μm as in the first embodiment, the cross-sectional area of the annular flaky gap 2 is increased, and the unit time from the first supply port 2 and the second supply port 3 is increased. Since the amount of fluid that can be supplied per unit can be increased, the amount of processing can be increased. Furthermore, by using the circular tube 12 without using the column 4, the cost of expensive Teflon (registered trademark) can be kept low.

Example 5
The chemical apparatus of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 shows an example of a chemical apparatus according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention.

  The chemical apparatus 1 introduces two types of fluids having different philicity that are not miscible with each other into the annular flaky gap 2 from the introduction port 5. The annular flaky gap of this embodiment is formed by arranging a circular tube 12 having a diameter different from that of the circular tube 3 at the axial center of the circular tube 3. The circular tube 3 and the circular tube 12 are coupled by the coupling member 11, and the circular tube 12 is disposed at the axial center of the circular tube 3. The circular tube 3 and the circular tube 12 can be detached from the coupling member 11 independently. Therefore, after use, the circular tube 3 and the circular tube 12 can be independently removed and cleaned or replaced. An inlet 5 is formed in the coupling member 11. Two types of fluids that are immiscible with each other introduced from the introduction port 5 may be introduced separately from different introduction ports 5 or may be introduced from the same introduction port 5.

  The outer diameter of the circular tube 12 is 26 mmφ and the inner diameter of the circular tube 3 is 27 mmφ, and a 500 μm gap is formed as the annular flaky gap 2 formed thereby. As shown in FIG. 2, the diameter of one end of the circular tube 12 is large so that a part of the gap with the inner wall of the circular tube 3 is 5 μm. The material of the circular tube 12 is made of glass that has been subjected to plasma ozone cleaning, and has a highly hydrophilic surface. On the other hand, the circular tube 3 is obtained by modifying the surface of the plasma ozone-cleaned glass with a silane coupling agent having a fluorine functional group, and has a high hydrophobic surface. As a result, one of the opposing surfaces of the ring-shaped flaky gap has a hydrophilic surface, and the other surface has a hydrophobic surface.

  Two types of fluids with different lyophilicity that are not miscible with each other from the inlet 5 flow through the gaps in the ring-shaped flaky gap, while the hydrophilic fluid forms a stable laminar flow on the hydrophilic surface side On the other hand, the hydrophobic fluid forms a stable laminar flow on the hydrophobic surface side, and is separated into two phases in the flaky gap. Mass transfer is performed from the interface between the two liquids separated here, but in the chemical apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, since the area of the contact interface of the two phases in contact is large, efficient extraction is performed. Also, in a two-phase chemical reaction system between an organic phase and an aqueous phase, the reaction efficiency is increased because the area of the interface where the two phases contact is large.

  Weakly alkaline aqueous solution and diethyl ether are used for the two types of fluids having different hydrophilicity that are not miscible.

  The chemical apparatus of the present invention increases the area of the contact interface between two types of fluids that are immiscible with each other, so that efficient extraction and chemical reaction through the contact interface can be performed, and the amount of processing fluid is increased. Therefore, it can be used for a chemical reaction apparatus for mass production, a liquid-liquid extraction apparatus, and the like.

It is sectional drawing which shows the flow direction of the fluid of one embodiment of the chemical apparatus of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the flow direction of the fluid of the chemical apparatus of Example 2 of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the flow direction of the fluid of the other embodiment of the chemical apparatus of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Chemical apparatus 2 Flaky gap 3 Circular pipe 4 Cylinder 5 Inlet 6 Hydrophilic surface 7 Hydrophobic surface 8 Outflow port 9 Hydrophilic liquid 10 Hydrophobic liquid 11 Bonding member 12 Circular pipe

Claims (4)

  A chemical apparatus for circulating two kinds of fluids having different lyophilicity that are not miscible with each other in an annular flaky gap, wherein one of the opposing faces of the annular flaky gap has a hydrophilic surface The chemical device is characterized in that the other surface has a hydrophobic surface.   The chemical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a part of an opposing surface of the annular flaky gap is in contact.   The chemical device according to claim 1, wherein a gap in a part of an opposing surface of the annular flaky gap is narrow.   4. The chemical device according to claim 1, wherein a width of the flaky gap is 1 μm or more and 3000 μm or less. 5.

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