Abstract: A sample holder that can withstand high pressures and temperatures is disclosed. The sample holder can be used to subject a geological sample to the same temperature and pressure that the sample would experience in its native underground environment. The sample holder provides a mechanism for hydrostatically confining the rock core sample to simulate the below ground pressure, while simultaneously allowing fluid to be directed through the core, as needed. The material used for the housing of the sample holder, specifically ceramic zirconia, and the mechanism by which the end fixtures are mounted in the housing, e.g., a square thread or modified square thread, allow for operation at higher pressures and temperatures than is offered by currently available systems. The sample holder can be used to analyze rock core samples via NMR spectroscopy or MRI.

Abstract: The methods disclosed herein are useful for achieving higher protein concentrations in reverse micelle solutions by extracting a protein from a metal chelate resin using a reverse micelle solution comprising a polyamine that competitively binds to the metal chelate resin, allowing the protein to elute from the resin. The extracted protein in the reverse micelle solution can then be effectively analyzed, for example using NMR spectroscopy.