Magnetic levitation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12427532-B2
Application number	US-202017439281-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2020
Priority date	Mar 15, 2019
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

A magnetic levitation system is described, including a first and second magnets having surfaces of their like-poles facing each other; and a container disposed between the first and second magnets' like poles and containing a solution including a paramagnetic complex in a non-aqueous solvent, where the paramagnetic complex includes a paramagnetic metal and at least one ligand that coordinates to the paramagnetic metal via electron donation. Methods of separating a mixture of solid compounds, and/or identifying, confirming, and/or predicting the composition of the mixture, are also described.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A magnetic levitation system comprising:
a first and second magnets having surfaces of their like-poles facing each other; and
a container disposed between the first and second magnets' like poles and containing a solution comprising a paramagnetic complex in a non-aqueous solvent; wherein the paramagnetic complex comprises a paramagnetic metal and at least one ligand that coordinates to the paramagnetic metal via electron donation.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the paramagnetic complex has the structure

wherein M is a paramagnetic metal and L 1 , L 2 , L 3 , L 4 , L 5 , L 6 , L 7 , and L 8 are ligands that coordinate to the paramagnetic metal via electron donation.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein L 1 , L 2 , L 3 , L 4 , L 5 , L 6 , L 7 , and La are independently selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted phosphine oxides, oxazoles, imidazoles, pyridines, diamines, bipyridines, phenanthrolines, diketonates, malonamides, malonates, β-ketoesters, β-ketoamides, carboxylates, dicarboxylates, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein two or more of L 1 , L 2 , L 3 , L 4 , L 5 , L 6 , L 7 , and L 8 are covalently bonded to a substituent group consisting of 1-20 carbon atoms.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein at least one of L 1 , L 2 , L 3 , L 4 , L 5 , L 6 , L 7 , and La comprises

wherein each occurrence R 1 is independently H, (C 1 -C 20 )alkyl, (C 2 -C 20 )alkenyl, (C 2 -C 20 )alkynyl, (C 3 -C 10 )cycloalkyl, (C 6 -C 10 )aryl, or (C 6 -C 10 )heteroaryl, each of which is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, R a , OR a , NR a R b , COR a , CO 2 R a , or CONR a R b ; and where R a and R b are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein each occurrence of R 1 and R 2 is independently (C 1 -C 10 )alkyl or (C 6 -C 10 )aryl.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein each occurrence of R 1 and R 2 is independently methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, phenyl, or isomers thereof.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein each occurrence of R 1 and R 2 is independently methyl, butyl, tert-butyl, octyl, or phenyl.

9. The system of claim 2 , wherein the paramagnetic complex has the structure

wherein n is an integer from 1-7 and wherein

denotes the group consisting of 1-20 carbon atoms.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein

are independently selected from the group consisting of 2,2′-dipyridyl, optionally substituted with one or more R 1 , 1,10-phenanthrenyl, optionally substituted with one or more R 1 , and

wherein each occurrence of R 2 is independently H, (C 1 -C 20 )alkyl, (C 2 -C 20 )alkenyl, (C 2 -C 20 )alkynyl, (C 3 -C 10 )cycloalkyl, (C 6 -C 10 )aryl, or (C 6 -C 10 )heteroaryl, each of which is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, R a , OR a , NR a R b , COR a , CO 2 R a , or CONR a R b ; and where R a and R b are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl.

11. The system of claim 2 , wherein the paramagnetic complex has the structure,

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the paramagnetic complex has the structure

13. The system of claim 2 , wherein M is selected from the group consisting of scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, copper, holmium, erbium, thulium, and lanthanum.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein M is gadolinium.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the paramagnetic complex is

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the paramagnetic complex is

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of acyclic and cyclic hydrocarbons, acyclic and cyclic halo- or per-halo hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, acyclic and cyclic ethers, and acyclic and cyclic aldehydes, ketones, esters, amides, sulfides, sulfoxides, and sulfones, and a combination thereof.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the solvent is pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, nonane, decane, undecane, dodecane, tetrachloroethylene, carbon tetrachloride, dichloromethane, trichloromethane, diethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, or a combination thereof.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the solvent is hexane, tetrachloroethylene, or a combination thereof.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the solvent is tetrachloroethylene.

21. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a camera, or a light source to illuminate the container, or both.

22. The system of claim 1 , wherein the container is an open or closed vessel capable of holding the solution.

23. The system of claim 1 , wherein the container is made from a glass, a plastic, a polymer, a ceramic, one or more plant-based fibers in a polymer matrix, one or more plant-based fibers in a ceramic matrix, an aerogel, a gel comprising polar or apolar solvents, a non-ferromagnetic, non-ferrimagnetic, or non-paramagnetic metal, or a combination thereof.

24. The system of claim 1 , wherein the container is a cuvette, jar, test tube, centrifuge tube, or capillary tube.

25. The system of claim 24 , wherein the container is a cuvette.

26. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second magnets are each independently selected from the group consisting of a permanent magnet, an electromagnet, and a superconducting magnet.

27. The system of claim 26 , wherein the first and second magnets are permanent magnets.

28. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second magnets are each independently neodymium magnets, samarium-cobalt magnets, ferrite magnets, or Alnico magnets.

29. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second magnets are each independently shaped as a block, a cylinder, a sphere, a disc, or a ring.

30. A method of analyzing a sample comprising one or more solid compounds, the method comprising:
(a) providing the magnetic levita

Assignees

• Harvard College

Inventors

• Abrahamsson Christoffer Karl
• Nagarkar Amit Arun
• Fink Michael Johannes
• Nemitz Markus P
• Preston Daniel John
• Ge Shencheng
• Bozenko Joseph
• Whitesides George M

Classifications

• G06N3/08

  Learning methods · CPC title

• G01N21/65

  Raman scattering · CPC title

• G01N1/28

  Preparing specimens for investigation {including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Q}(mounting specimens on microscopic slides G02B21/34; means for supporting the objects or the materials to be analysed in electron microscopes H01J37/20 {; laboratory gas handling apparatus B01L5/00}) · CPC title

• B03C2201/26

  for use in medical or biological applications · CPC title

• B03C2201/18

  Magnetic separation whereby the particles are suspended in a liquid · CPC title