Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
  • G01N1/02—Devices for withdrawing samples
  • G01N1/22—Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state
  • G01N1/2202—Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state involving separation of sample components during sampling
  • G01N1/2214—Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state involving separation of sample components during sampling by sorption
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J10/00—Chemical processes in general for reacting liquid with gaseous media other than in the presence of solid particles, or apparatus specially adapted therefor
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J19/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
  • B01J19/18—Stationary reactors having moving elements inside
  • B01J19/1806—Stationary reactors having moving elements inside resulting in a turbulent flow of the reactants, such as in centrifugal-type reactors, or having a high Reynolds-number
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J20/00—Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositions; Sorbents for chromatography; Processes for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof
  • B01J20/281—Sorbents specially adapted for preparative, analytical or investigative chromatography
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
  • G01N1/02—Devices for withdrawing samples
  • G01N1/22—Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
  • G01N1/28—Preparing specimens for investigation including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Q
  • G01N1/38—Diluting, dispersing or mixing samples
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
  • G01N1/28—Preparing specimens for investigation including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Q
  • G01N1/40—Concentrating samples
  • G01N1/4044—Concentrating samples by chemical techniques; Digestion; Chemical decomposition
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
  • G01N1/02—Devices for withdrawing samples
  • G01N1/22—Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state
  • G01N1/2202—Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state involving separation of sample components during sampling
  • G01N1/2214—Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state involving separation of sample components during sampling by sorption
  • G01N2001/2217—Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state involving separation of sample components during sampling by sorption using a liquid
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
  • G01N1/28—Preparing specimens for investigation including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Q
  • G01N1/38—Diluting, dispersing or mixing samples
  • G01N2001/386—Other diluting or mixing processes

Definitions

• ICP Inductively coupled plasma
• GFAA graphite furnace atomic absorption
• spectroscopy techniques can be used to measure the presence of metal contaminants in liquid samples.
• Direct determination of low concentrations of metal contaminants in halosilanes using analytical instruments for ICPMS or GFAA is difficult due to the extreme reactivity of most halosilanes with water vapor in the air. Reactions between halosilanes and water vapor can result in formation of silicate precipitates and release of noxious acidic vapors, and can corrode the analytical instrument. Additionally, the presence of the halosilane can introduce matrix suppression and spectral interferences that can obscure accurate measurement of metal contaminants at low levels. It is therefore desirable to prepare halosilane samples for analysis by first hydrolyzing them in a hydrofluoric acid (HF) solution which can then be directly analyzed or further processed by evaporation or column pre-concentration.
• HF hydrofluoric acid
• a system for hydrolyzing samples includes a container with a receiving liquid (e.g., an HF solution) contained therein and an actuator coupled with the container.
• the actuator can be configured to rotate the container, thereby inducing a vortex in the receiving liquid.
• the system further includes a sample tube configured to direct a halosilane sample into the vortexed receiving liquid.
• the sample tube can be oriented to release the sample in a flow direction of the vortexed receiving liquid. It is noted that the system architecture and methodology described herein can be used to hydrolyze any reactive substance by introduction into a vortex induced in a receiving liquid, and is not limited to hydrolysis and/or sampling of halosilanes.
• FIG. 1 A is schematic diagram of a system for hydrolyzing samples, implemented in accordance with an embodiment of this disclosure.
• FIG. IB is a top view of the system shown in FIG. 1 A.
• FIG. 2 is schematic diagram of a system for hydrolyzing samples, implemented in accordance with an embodiment of this disclosure.
• FIG. 3 is a flow diagram showing an implementation of a method for hydrolyzing samples.
• halosilane sampling with ICPMS or GFAA instruments it is often desirable to prepare halosilane samples for analysis by first hydrolyzing them in an hydrofluoric acid (HF) solution that can then be directly analyzed or further processed by evaporation or column pre-concentration.
• HF hydrofluoric acid
• the halosilane with the receiving liquid e.g., HF solution
• a sample delivery line or tube can easily become clogged.
• This problem can be mitigated by introducing an inert shield gas using a concentric tube located around the sample delivery line, where the inert shield gas serves to prevent unwanted reaction of the halosilane inside the sample delivery line.
• this approach is challenging to implement because it requires concentric tubing and simultaneous streaming of the inert gas.
• the present disclosure is directed to a system and method that facilitate halosilane hydrolysis without any need for concentric tubing or inert gas shielding.
• the system and method described herein rely on actuation (e.g., rotation) of a container having the receiving liquid contained therein, whereby the actuation induces a vortex in the receiving liquid.
• a halosilane sample (or any other water-reactive sample) can then be directed into the vortexed receiving liquid through an inert (chemically non-reactive) sample delivery tube.
• the halosilane sample is then directed into the vortexed receiving liquid.
• the rapid movement of the receiving liquid prevents a build-up of high silane concentrations at the point of entry, preventing polymerization reactions.
• FIGS. 1 A, IB, and 2 illustrate a system 100 for hydrolyzing samples in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure.
• FIGS. 1 A, IB, and 2 illustrate a system 100 for hydrolyzing samples in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure.
• Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and/or described herein may be fully or partially combined and/or modified to result in additional embodiments. Accordingly, the illustrated and described embodiments should be understood as explanatory and not as limitations of the present disclosure.
• the system 100 is shown to include at least one actuator 102 (e.g., motor) coupled to a receptacle 104 that is configured to receive and firmly grasp or couple to a container 106.
• the actuator 104 may be directly coupled with the container 106.
• the actuator 104 is configured to rotate or otherwise impart motion upon the container 106 to induce a vortex 110 in a liquid 108 (e.g., a receiving liquid such as a HF solution) that is present within the container 106.
• a liquid 108 e.g., a receiving liquid such as a HF solution
• the system 100 includes a sampling assembly (e.g., an auto- sampler assembly), where a sample tube 116 is configured direct one or more fluid samples (e.g., halosilane samples or other gas/liquid samples) into the container 106 from a sample source 114 (e.g., canister) that is fluidically coupled to the sample tube 116.
• a sample source 114 e.g., canister
• the sample tube 116 can be inserted into the container 106 to direct a stream of the sample into the vortexed receiving liquid 108 (e.g., in the HF solution) while the container 106 is rotated to induce the vortex 110.
• the vortex 110 extends to a bottom surface 112 of the container 106. In other embodiments, the vortex 110 does not extend to the bottom surface 112, but only to a certain depth above the bottom surface 112 of the container 106.
• the vortex 110 can mix the fluids in the container 106.
• the sample can be directed into the vortexed receiving liquid 108 to hydrolyze the sample.
• the container 106 is spun in one direction (e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise) while the mixing is performed, while in other embodiments, the container 106 is first spun in one direction (e.g., clockwise) and then in another direction (e.g., counterclockwise) while the mixing is performed.
• a change in direction of mixing can be performed one or more times during the mixing operation. Further, the mixing can be performed at different rotational speeds during a mixing operation.
• a mixing operation is performed periodically (e.g., intermittently) to avoid separation of the fluids.
• the container 106 can be made from an inert high purity material such as PFA or PTFE.
• the halosilane sample can be directed into the vortexed receiving liquid 108 through an inert chemically resistant sample tube 116.
• the sample tube 116 can be oriented to release the halosilane sample in a flow direction of the vortexed receiving liquid 108. In this manner, the sample can be introduced in a way that prevents the receiving liquid 108 from reacting with and polymerizing the sample as it enters the receiving liquid 108.
• the vortex 110 works to remove the sample tube 1 16 or tube nozzle into the rapidly spinning receiving liquid 108.
• an end of the sample tube 116 that directs the halosilane sample into the vortexed receiving liquid 108 may be tapered or coupled to a nozzle (e.g., as shown in FIG. 1 A) or may have a sufficiently small diameter (e.g., approximately 1 mm or less) to reduce the cross-sectional contact area between the halosilane sample and receiving liquid 108.
• a tapered end or nozzle can serve to rapidly inject the halosilane into the receiving liquid 108 for better mixing of the halosilane sample with the receiving liquid 108.
• the receiving liquid 108 (mixed with the halosilane) can be evaporated.
• the evaporation can be accelerated by introduction of an evaporation gas (e.g., nitrogen) from an evaporation gas source 118 (e.g., a second canister or the like) via a second tube 120 (e.g., another tube similar to tube 116), sometimes referred to herein as an "evaporation gas addition line.”
• the evaporation gas can be optionally heated to further accelerate the evaporation rate of the receiving liquid 108.
• the evaporation gas addition line 120 and the sample line/tube 116 may be parallel to each other. In some embodiments, the evaporation gas addition line 120 and the sample tube 116 may be maintained at fixed positions while the container 106 of receiving liquid 108 is rotated.
• the system 100 further includes an exhaust port with scrubber around the area of the container 106.
• the scrubber may consist of a caustic, such as NaOH. After evaporation, a small volume of acid may reconstitute the residue from the sample into liquid phase for chemical analysis by ICPMS or GFAA. If the sample is not evaporated, it may instead be inline pH adjusted with ammonium hydroxide or other base solution and then passed through a chelation column.
• Silicate species may pass through the chelation column to waste, while metal contaminants are retained on the column.
• a valve system may be used to direct the sample liquid through the column. Further, a valve system with loop may be used to define a volume of sample liquid to pass through the column.
• the metal contaminants may be eluted from the column using an acidic solution. The eluted metal contaminants may be directly eluted to an ICPMS nebulizer or a GFAA tube for analysis, or in some implementations, the eluted metal contaminants may be eluted into a collection tube for later analysis using ICPMS or GFAA.
• FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 200 for hydrolyzing samples in accordance with one or more disclosed implementations.
• the method 200 can be executed utilizing the system 100 described herein.
• the method 200 can further include any steps or operations disclosed with regard to embodiments of the system 100 described herein.
• a receiving liquid e.g., a receiving liquid such as a HF solution
• a container e.g., a container such as container 106
• the receiving liquid can be pre-loaded within the container or fed into the container by a tube or spout directed the receiving liquid into the container.
• the container can be rotated to induce a vortex in the receiving liquid.
• the container can be directly rotated by an actuator (e.g., motor 102) or a holder supporting the container can be rotated to effectively rotated the container about a longitudinal (e.g., central) axis of the container.
• the container is rotated in one direction (e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise).
• the container is rotated in an oscillatory fashion (e.g., clockwise and then counterclockwise, or vice versa).
• an inert gas may be directed into the vortexed receiving liquid prior to directing a sample into the liquid.
• a halosilane sample may be preceded by an inert gas stream flowing through the same sample tube 116, where the inert gas stream continues until the receiving liquid 108 is sufficiently agitated to ensure that the receiving liquid 108 can rapidly disperse the halosilane sample for hydrolysis to prevent excess formation of reactants at the point of introduction.
• the sample e.g., a halosilane sample or the like
• the sample can be fed through a tube (e.g., a tube such as tube 116) into the vortexed receiving liquid (i.e., into the rapidly stirring liquid), such that the sample rapidly disperses and becomes hydrolyzed by the receiving liquid.
• the sample tube 116 can be oriented to release the halosilane sample in a flow direction of the vortexed receiving liquid 108.
• the sample enters the vortexed receiving liquid 108 which rapidly draws the sample away from the sample tube 116, preventing polymerization or heat-producing reaction at the exit of the sample tube 116.
• an evaporation gas e.g., nitrogen
• a second tube e.g., a second tube such as evaporation gas addition line 120.
• the evaporation gas can aid in evaporating the receiving liquid (mixed with the halosilane sample) so that the fluid sample (i.e., the receiving liquid and halosilane sample mixture) can be directed to an analysis instrument (e.g., ICPMS or GFAA instrument).
• the evaporation gas can be heated to accelerate the evaporation rate of the fluid sample.

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• 2016
  • 2016-02-08 JP JP2017541274A patent/JP6753859B2/ja active Active
  • 2016-02-08 US US15/547,669 patent/US10809168B2/en active Active
  • 2016-02-08 KR KR1020177024632A patent/KR102541889B1/ko active Active
  • 2016-02-08 WO PCT/US2016/017026 patent/WO2016127180A1/en not_active Ceased
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