Note: One sales unit contains two holders.
Summary
This cell is designed for measuring liquid samples (and their respective backgrounds) with X-ray, neutron and light sources, through glued-in capillaries that can be connected to external liquid handling equipment via industry-standard flangeless fittings for 1/16" OD tube. The fitting has a 1/4-28G UNF flat-bottomed thread. The holder has been designed to maximize access to the sample, to allow for small- and wide-angle studies, as well as backscattering and fluorescence/spectroscopy methods. Extraeneous material has been minimized. Capillaries can be replaced relatively easily, and previous versions have withstood dozens of capillary replacements. If made from PEEK, the holder is exceptionally chemically inert and can handle a wide range of liquid chemistries.
Regarding capillaries
The standard capillaries used for these are Hilgenberg 1471187 with an inner diameter of 0.96 mm and an outer diameter of 1.0 mm. The cell can also be adapted for larger capillaries by changing the dimensions of the support holes.
Capillaries are replaceable, and can be glued in with compatible glues, for example Araldite 2014-2 works well to make a vacuum-tight seal and can be removed again by soaking in a bath of DMF. UV-curing glues may also be used, albeit perhaps less chemically inert but easier to remove. A video tutorial demonstrating the mounting of capillaries in (an older version of) these holders is available here.
Mounting methods and features
The holder is prepared for several mounting methods: there are M4 post mounts on the bottom, spaced 25mm apart for use with optical tables. Additionally, there are two smooth, countersunk M3 holes and two threaded M3 holes on the front. These holes can be used either for mounting the holder to a backing/mounting frame, or to mount additional hardware to the holder (such as a localized heating mantle).
Lastly, there are several pre-drilled localizing spots on the bottom and front. The bottom divots are aligned with the capillary axis, and can be drilled out to mount, say, optical fibres for spectroscopy or detection of bubbles. The front divot can be drilled out to add another mount point if desired.
Availability and licensing
These capillary holders are available for purchase directly from here, either with or without pre-mounted capillaries, with the option of buying extra, spare capillaries as well. Shipping cost is included in the price.
The design is licensed under a CERN OHL-v2 permissive license, available here, and so can be manufactured by any suitably-equipped workshop and adapted as desired.
