High throughput mechanical alloying and screening

Abstract

The invention provides an apparatus and methods for high throughput screening of alloys and other materials to identify those that have desired gas storage properties.

1 . A gas storage assay cap for a multiwell plate, which gas storage assay cap comprises a bottom surface and a second surface, wherein the assay cap further comprises: 
 (a) a plurality of gas conduits that each have a first opening on the bottom surface and a second opening in the second surface of the assay cap, wherein the first openings of the gas conduits are spatially arranged such that each gas conduit is in fluid communication with a sample well of a multiwell plate when the assay cap is attached to a component of a multiwell ball milling fixture selected from the group consisting of: 
 (1) a multiwell plate that comprises a plurality of sample wells; and  
 (2) a multiwell plate lid that is attached to a multiwell plate and comprises a plurality of gas outlet ports that are each in fluid communication with a sample well of the multiwell plate; and  
   (b) a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the second opening of at least one of the gas conduits.    
     
     
         2 . The assay cap of  claim 1 , further comprising a multiwell plate lid that is attached to the bottom surface of the assay cap, wherein the multiwell plate lid comprises a top surface and a bottom surface that defines a planar expanse sufficient to cover sample wells of a multiwell plate, wherein the lid comprises a plurality of gas outlet ports that each have a first opening on the bottom surface of the lid and a second opening in the top surface of the lid, wherein the first openings of the gas outlet ports are spatially arranged such that each gas outlet port is in fluid communication with a sample well of a multiwell plate when the assay cap is positioned on a multiwell plate, and the second openings are spatially arranged such that each gas outlet port in the lid is in fluid communication with a gas conduit in the assay cap.  
     
     
         3 . The assay cap of  claim 1 , wherein the second openings of the gas conduits are in fluid communication with (a) a gas source, and (b) a vacuum source.  
     
     
         4 . The assay cap of  claim 3 , wherein the gas source is a hydrogen source.  
     
     
         5 . The assay cap of  claim 1 , wherein the second openings of the gas conduits are located in the top surface.  
     
     
         6 . The assay cap of  claim 1 , wherein each of the gas conduits is in fluid communication with a pressure sensor.  
     
     
         7 . A high throughput gas storage assay device, the device comprising: 
 (a) a multiwell plate that comprises a plurality of sample wells;    (b) a multiwell plate lid that is attached to the multiwell plate and comprises a plurality of gas outlet ports that are in fluid communication with a sample well of the multiwell plate; and    (c) a gas storage assay cap that comprises a top surface and a bottom surface that defines a planar expanse sufficient to cover the gas outlet ports of the multiwell plate lid when the assay cap is positioned on the lid, wherein the assay cap comprises a plurality of gas conduits that are positioned such that at least one conduit in the cap is in fluid communication an associated gas outlet port in the multiwell plate lid.    
     
     
         8 . The gas storage assay device of  claim 7 , wherein the device further comprises one or more seals disposed between the multiwell plate and the lid, and one or more seals disposed between the lid and the assay cap, which seals allow gas flow between a sample well and an associated conduit in the assay cap but prevent gas flow between sample wells and between a sample well and a non-associated conduit.  
     
     
         9 . The gas storage assay device of  claim 8 , wherein the seals comprise a plurality of O-rings.  
     
     
         10 . The gas storage assay device of  claim 8 , wherein the seal comprises a gasket that comprises an opening between at least one sample well and an associated conduit, which opening allows gas to flow between the sample well and the conduit.  
     
     
         11 . The gas storage assay device of  claim 7 , wherein the device further comprises a pressure sensor in fluid communication with each of the gas conduits of the assay cap.  
     
     
         12 . The gas storage assay device of  claim 11 , wherein the pressure sensor comprises a pressure transducer or a mechanical gauge.  
     
     
         13 . The gas storage assay device of  claim 7 , wherein the device further comprises a vacuum source and a test gas source, both of which are in fluid communication with the gas conduits of the assay cap.  
     
     
         14 . The gas storage assay device of  claim 7 , wherein the multiwell plate comprises at least 10 sample wells and the lid and the assay cap comprises at least 10 gas conduits, each of which is in fluid communication with a sample well.  
     
     
         15 . The gas storage assay device of  claim 7 , wherein the multiwell plate comprises at least 100 sample wells, the assay cap comprises at least 100 gas conduits, and the multiwell plate lid comprises at least 100 gas outlet ports, each of which is associated with a sample well.  
     
     
         16 . The gas storage assay device of  claim 13 , wherein the device comprises a valve that regulates gas flow between the gas conduit and the vacuum source, and a valve that regulates gas flow between the gas conduit and the test gas source.  
     
     
         17 . The gas storage assay device of  claim 16 , wherein the valve is a solenoid operated valve.  
     
     
         18 . The gas storage assay device of  claim 16 , wherein a single valve switches between the test gas source, the vacuum source, and the pressure sensor being in fluid communication with the gas conduit.  
     
     
         19 . The gas storage assay device of  claim 16 , wherein the device comprises a manifold that distributes gas between the test gas source and/or the vacuum source and the gas conduits.  
     
     
         20 . The gas storage assay device of  claim 16 , wherein the test gas source contains hydrogen.  
     
     
         21 . The gas storage assay device of  claim 16 , wherein the device further comprises a controller that comprises logic instructions that direct the device to perform a method that comprises the following steps: 
 (a) open a valve between the vacuum source and the gas conduit, thereby applying a vacuum to a sample well;    (b) close the valve between the vacuum source and the gas conduit;    (c) open a valve between the test gas source and the gas conduit, thereby allowing a test gas to flow into the sample well; and    (d) close the valve between the test gas source and the gas conduit.    
     
     
         22 . The gas storage assay device of  claim 13 , wherein the multiwell plate lid comprises a bottom surface that defines a planar expanse sufficient to cover sample wells of a multiwell plate and comprises a plurality of gas outlet ports that each comprise: i) a first opening on the bottom surface of the lid that is spatially positioned such that when the lid is positioned on a multiwell plate, the first opening is in fluid communication with a sample well; ii) a second opening in the top surface of the lid; and iii) a valve that regulates gas flow through the gas outlet port.  
     
     
         23 . The gas storage assay device of  claim 22 , wherein the device further comprises a controller that comprises logic instructions that direct the device to perform a method that comprises the following steps: 
 (a) open the valve that regulates gas flow through the outlet port and the valve between the vacuum source and the gas conduit, thereby applying a vacuum to a sample well;    (b) close the valve that regulates gas flow through the outlet port;    (c) close the valve between the vacuum source and the gas conduit;    (d) open the valve that regulates gas flow through the outlet port and the valve between the test gas source and the gas conduit, thereby allowing a test gas to flow into the sample well; and    (e) close the valve that regulates gas flow through the outlet port and the valve between the test gas source and the gas conduit.