JP4431982B2 - Micro electrochemical reactor - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a microelectrochemical reactor.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a microelectrochemical reactor in which an electrode is provided in a microchannel.

Prior art documents related to microelectrochemical reactors include the following.
JP 2003-285298 A

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the main part configuration of a conventional example that is generally used conventionally.
1 shows a configuration example of a microelectrochemical reactor that allows a small amount of liquid to flow.
It consists of three layers of a substrate part 101, a photocurable resin 102, and a light-transmitting cover plate 103 in this order.
In this flow channel device, the uncured photocurable resin is filled between the substrate unit 101 and the cover substrate 103, and then the peripheral portion of the flow channel pattern 104 is cured by a photocuring reaction. Are formed, and the microelectrochemical reactor is integrally formed.

Here, in the case where a light-transmitting material is used for the substrate unit 101, the sample solution and the reaction solution are caused to flow from the injection ports 105 and 105 ′ on the liquid feeding side by an external pump, thereby causing a reaction in the mixing unit 106. This change can be detected as a change in absorbance, and based on this change, the concentration of the target substance in a small amount of sample liquid can be known.
The mixed liquid is discharged from the waste liquid port 107.

In a microelectrochemical reactor, it is necessary to flow various chemicals depending on the application and application of the device. In consideration of corrosion resistance, for example, a flow path made only of glass is desirable.
There is also a need to form an electrode in the flow path, form a hermetic seal, and take the electrode out of the flow path.

As an example of this, in the device introduced in the prior art, the electrode is taken out by sealing with resin.
However, in the flow path having a structure in which two glass substrates are bonded together, the glass substrate is hard, so that leakage from the electrode edge becomes a serious problem.
Hereinafter, an example will be described in detail.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view of a main part configuration of an example in which a hermetic electrode is taken out from a flow path obtained by bonding two glass substrates, FIG. 10 is a front view of FIG. 9, and FIG. 11 is a side view of FIG.
In the figure, the first substrate 201 is provided with an injection port 202 and a waste liquid port 203.
An electrode 204 is provided on the first substrate 201.

One surface of the second substrate 205 is connected to the first substrate 201.
The flow path 206 is provided in the second substrate 205 and connects the injection port 202 and the waste liquid port 203.
However, in such an apparatus, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, in this case, a leak from the gap 2041 at the electrode edge portion having a triangular cross-section is a serious problem.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a microelectrochemical reactor in which there is no fluid leakage and an electrode can be easily taken out of the flow path.

In order to achieve such a problem, in the present invention, in the microelectrochemical reactor according to claim 1,
In a microelectrochemical reactor that has an electrode part in a flow path and generates a plurality of reactants,
An electrode portion which is embedded and formed on one surface of the first substrate without a gap in the peripheral portion and is flush with the one surface of the first substrate, and one surface is provided in contact with the one surface of the first substrate. A second substrate and a wall-like shape provided in the reaction part of the flow path , provided in the flow direction of the reaction part along the flow path center and continuously blocking the flow path in the direction perpendicular to the flow direction. A continuous separation plate, and a groove that is provided in the flow path so as to face the continuous separation plate and that continuously forms a gap in a direction orthogonal to the flow path direction. Separating means for separating and an electrode portion separated into two parts at the top of the continuous separating plate facing the groove are provided.

According to claim 2 of the present invention, in the microelectrochemical reactor according to claim 1,
The flow path has one inflow path.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the microelectrochemical reactor according to the first aspect,
The flow path is characterized in that the inflow path is separated into two.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the microelectrochemical reactor according to any one of the first to third aspects,
The first and second substrates are made of glass.

According to claim 5 of the present invention, in the microelectrochemical reactor according to claim 4 ,
The first substrate and the second substrate are bonded by thermocompression bonding.

As described above, the present invention has the following effects.
Since there is no step in the electrode part, a microelectrochemical reactor having a hertic seal electrode without leakage can be obtained.
In addition, a microelectrochemical reactor can be obtained in which channel separators and electrode patterns in the flow path can be simultaneously formed by polishing.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing the structure of the main part of one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line aa in FIG. 5 is a production explanatory view of FIG.
In the figure, electrode portions 31a and 31b are embedded and formed in one surface 321 of the first substrate 32 without a gap in the peripheral portion, and are flush with the one surface 321 of the first substrate.

In this case, the electrode portions 31a and 31b are made of a platinum film having chromium as a base film, and are formed by sputtering.
The second substrate 33 is provided such that one surface 331 is in contact with one surface 321 of the first substrate.
In this case, the first and second substrates 32 and 33 are made of glass and made of Pyrex (registered trademark) glass.

Further, the first substrate 32 and the second substrate 33 are joined by thermocompression bonding.
The separation means 34 is provided in the reaction portions 36a and 36b of the flow paths 35a and 35b, and separates a plurality of reactants.
In this case, the separation means 34 is provided along the flow path direction of the reaction portions 36a and 36b along the flow path center, and continuously separates the flow path in the direction orthogonal to the flow path direction. Opposite to the separation plate 341, the continuous separation plate provided in the flow paths 35a and 35b and a groove 342 that continuously forms a gap in the direction orthogonal to the flow path direction are provided.

Reference numerals 37a and 38a denote an inlet and a waste liquid port provided in the flow path 35a.
Reference numerals 37b and 38b denote an inlet and a waste liquid port provided in the flow path 35b.
In this case, two inlets 37b and 37b are provided and the inflow path is separated into two, but it is needless to say that the inflow paths may be combined into one.

In the above configuration, the following operation is performed.
When a voltage is applied between the electrode 31a and the electrode 31b with a fluid flowing in the flow channel 35a and the flow channel 35b, an electrochemical reaction occurs on the surfaces of the electrode 31a and the electrode 31b, and a reaction product is generated.
Separation means 34 prevents mixing of the reaction product of electrode 31a and the reaction product of electrode 31b.

The device of the present invention is manufactured as follows.
(1) An etching pattern 301 is formed on one surface 321 of the first substrate 32 as shown in FIG. 5A by using, for example, hydrofluoric acid as shown in FIG. 5B.
In this case, the first substrate 32 is a Pyrex (registered trademark) glass substrate.

(2) As shown in FIG. 5C, the deep groove pattern 302 to be the flow path 35a, 35b and the continuous separation plate 341 in the flow path is formed by, for example, hydrofluoric acid.

(3) As shown in FIG. 5D, an electrode 303 is formed on the one surface 321 of the first substrate 32 and the etching pattern 301.
In this case, the electrode 303 is sputtered with a platinum film having chromium as a base film.
(4) As shown in FIG. 5E, the one surface 321 of the first substrate 32 is planarized by polishing.

(5) A groove 342 is formed on one surface 331 of the second substrate 33 as shown in FIG. 5 (f) by etching with, for example, hydrofluoric acid, as shown in FIG. 5 (g).
In this case, the second substrate 33 is a Pyrex (registered trademark) glass substrate.
(5) As shown in FIG. 5 (h), one surface 321 of the first substrate 32 and one surface 331 of the second substrate 33 are bonded by thermocompression bonding in this case.

As a result, there is no level difference between the electrode portions 31a and 31b, so that a microelectrochemical reactor having a leak-free hertic seal electrode can be obtained.
Further, a microelectrochemical reactor can be obtained in which the channel separator 34 and the electrode patterns 31a and 31b in the flow path can be simultaneously formed by polishing.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of the main part configuration of another embodiment of the present invention.
In this embodiment, the flow paths 45a and 45b and the continuous separation plate 441 are provided on the second substrate 33 side, not the first substrate 32 side, and the groove 442 is provided on the first substrate 32 side. It is.

In the above configuration, the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is manufactured as follows.
(1) An etching pattern 401 is formed on one surface 321 of the first substrate 32 as shown in FIG. 6A by using, for example, hydrofluoric acid as shown in FIG. 6B.
In this case, the first substrate 32 is a Pyrex (registered trademark) glass substrate.

(2) As shown in FIG. 6C, an electrode 402 is formed on one surface of the first substrate 32 and the etching pattern 401.
In this case, the electrode 402 is sputtered with a platinum film having chromium as a base film.
(3) As shown in FIG. 6D, one surface of the first substrate 32 is flattened by polishing.
(4) As shown in FIG. 6E, a groove 412 is formed on one surface of the first substrate 32 by etching.

(5) On one surface of the second substrate 33 as shown in FIG. 6 (f), as shown in FIG. 5 (g), for example, the flow path pattern flow paths 45a and 45b and the continuous separation plate 441 are etched by hydrofluoric acid. Is formed.
In this case, the second substrate 33 is a Pyrex (registered trademark) glass substrate.

(6) As shown in FIG. 6 (h), one surface 321 of the first substrate 32 and one surface 331 of the second substrate 33 are bonded by thermocompression bonding in this case.

  In the above-described embodiments, the first and second substrates are made of glass. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, silicon, ceramic, or plastic may be used.

The above description merely shows a specific preferred embodiment for the purpose of explanation and illustration of the present invention.
Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and includes many changes and modifications without departing from the essence thereof.

It is principal part structure explanatory drawing of one Example of this invention. It is a top view of FIG. It is aa sectional drawing of FIG. It is bb sectional drawing of FIG. FIG. 5 is a production explanatory view of FIG. It is principal part structure explanatory drawing of the other Example of this invention. FIG. 7 is a production explanatory diagram of FIG. 6. It is principal part structure explanatory drawing of the prior art example generally used conventionally. It is principal part structure explanatory drawing of an example which takes out an electrode from the flow path which bonded together two glass substrates. It is a front view of FIG. It is a side view of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Substrate part 102 Photocurable resin 103 Cover substrate 104 Flow path pattern 105 Inlet 105 ′ Inlet 107 Waste liquid port 201 First substrate part 202 Inlet 203 Waste liquid port 204 Electrode 2041 Gap 205 Second substrate 206 Flow path 31a Electrode unit 31b Electrode unit 32 First substrate 321 One surface of first substrate 33 Second substrate 331 One surface of second substrate 34 Separation means 341 Continuous separation plate 342 Groove 35a Channel 35b Channel 36a Reaction unit 36b Reaction unit 37a Inlet 37b Inlet 38a Waste liquid port 38b Waste liquid port 301 Etching pattern 302 Deep groove pattern 303 Electrode 44 Separating means 441 Continuous separation plate 442 Groove 45a Channel 45b Channel 401 Etching pattern 402 Electrode 403 Electrode

Claims (5)

In a microelectrochemical reactor that has an electrode part in a flow path and generates a plurality of reactants,
An electrode portion that is embedded and formed on one surface of the first substrate without a gap in the periphery, and is flush with the one surface of the first substrate;
A second substrate provided in contact with the one surface of the first substrate;
A wall-shaped continuous separation plate provided in the reaction section of the flow path and provided in the flow path direction of the reaction section along the center of the flow path and continuously blocking the flow path in a direction orthogonal to the flow path direction; A separation means for separating the plurality of reactants , comprising a continuous separation plate and a groove which is provided in the flow path so as to face the continuous separation plate and continuously forms a gap in a direction orthogonal to the flow path direction ;
A microelectrochemical reactor comprising an electrode portion separated into two parts at the top of a continuous separation plate facing the groove . The flow path has one inflow path.
  The microelectrochemical reactor according to claim 1. The flow path is divided into two inflow paths
  The microelectrochemical reactor according to claim 1. The first and second substrates are made of glass.
  A microelectrochemical reactor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The first substrate and the second substrate are bonded by thermocompression bonding.
  The microelectrochemical reactor according to claim 4.

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