Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for handling small quantities of fluids useful, for example, in measuring the gas and/or liquid sorption and desorption properties of substances such as hydrogen sorption by solid or liquid hydrogen storage materials. In one embodiment, low-volume rotary valves are used to dose samples in a sample holder. In another embodiment, a rotary valve is used as a dosing/bypass valve to both condition and measure samples. The invention also relates to an actuator for a rotary valve that has a manual override feature.

Abstract: An apparatus determines gas sorption properties of a large number of material samples simultaneously. The apparatus includes a switchable manifold of low-volume conduits and an array of sensors, where each low-volume conduit fluidly couples a single sample of gas-sorbing material to a dedicated detector. The switchable manifold is also configured to fluidly couple the samples to a vacuum source or a dosing gas source. Because of the very low internal volume of the conduits, essentially all gas released from a particular sample is accurately detected by the corresponding detector, either through sorption of the released gas, by measuring pressure, or by other means. In this way, a very accurate measurement of the quantity of gas released by the sample is made. In one embodiment, the array of sensors includes hydride-based sensors, which contain a material that forms an optically and/or electrically responsive hydride upon exposure to hydrogen-containing gas.

Abstract: A gas sorption sample chamber contains a plurality of thin-film substrates and fluidly couple said substrates to a Sieverts' device or other gas sorption analyzer. The thin-film substrates are held in proximity to each other in the sample chamber in a columnar arrangement, either in a stacked or slightly spaced configuration, to reduce free-gas volume in the sample chamber, thereby improving sorption test accuracy. The interior geometry of the chamber is configured to provide a minimal clearance between the thin-film substrates and the internal surfaces of the chamber, so that essentially all of the chamber volume is occupied by thin-film sample material and inactive substrate material. To facilitate use in a glove box, the chamber may be configured with a removable sample cartridge in which thin-film substrates are placed so that all substrates may be loaded and unloaded as a group.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention contemplate an apparatus that determines gas sorption properties of a large number of material samples simultaneously, by sequentially measuring the pressure in a plurality of sample chambers until all chambers have reached equilibrium pressure. In most applications, it is most useful to quantify the sorption capacity of a material under specific conditions, i.e., at a certain temperature and pressure. Because sorption capacity is determined by bringing a material sample to an equilibrium state with a dosing gas, detailed kinetic data related to the sorption properties of a material are not absolutely necessary. Therefore, complete pressure-time curves are not typically necessary, and only the equilibrium pressure of a material sample for a given quantity of dosing gas is required.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus (herein referred to as a “gas sorption/desorption analyzer”) for measuring the gas sorption properties of substances (for example hydrogen sorption by metal alloys). Measurements include: Pressure Composition Temperature isotherm (PCT), Kinetic, Cycle-life, and density. Measurements are made by sorption of aliquots of gas to or from a sample of the substance. The amount of gas in each aliquot is determined from the gas pressure and temperature in calibrated reservoir volumes. The apparatus comprises components rated for operation up to 200 atm, a plurality of sensors covering a broad pressure range, and minimized volumes to enable accurate measurements of small samples. Aliquot pressures are controlled using a feed-back controlled pressure regulator that can also be used for constant pressure sorption measurements. The gas temperature is regulated using a temperature controlled enclosure.