US 12,296,299 B2
Isotopologue or isotope enrichment via preferential condensation of isotopologues or isotopes under non-equilibrium gas-surface collision conditions
Steven J. Sibener, Chicago, IL (US); Michelle R. Brann, Chicago, IL (US); and Stephen P. Hansknecht, Chicago, IL (US)
Assigned to THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed by THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Apr. 25, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/728,453.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/182,204, filed on Apr. 30, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0355248 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. B01D 59/34 (2006.01); B01D 59/02 (2006.01)
CPC B01D 59/34 (2013.01) [B01D 59/02 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for enriching isotopologues or isotopes or for separating isotopologues or isotopes, the method comprising:
forming a supersonic beam comprising: a mixture of a first isotopologue of a first molecule and a second, heavier isotopologue of the first molecule; or a first isotope of a first element and a second, heavier isotope of the first element;
directing the supersonic beam onto the surface of a substrate to form a multilayered condensed film having a steady-state composition of the first and second isotopologues or the first and second isotopes, wherein the incident velocity of the supersonic beam and the ratio of the first and second isotopologues, or the ratio of the first and second isotopes, in the supersonic beam are selected such that the condensed film has a phonon density of states that results in preferential condensation of the second isotopologue or the second isotope, relative to the first isotopologue or the first isotope; and
collecting the condensed isotopologues or the condensed isotopes from the condensed film.