Patent ID: 7144739

Claim:
A pressure-sealing, pressure-monitoring closure for non-invasively sealing a reaction vessel to a defined release pressure in microwave-assisted chemistry, said closure comprising: a pressure-resistant, microwave-transparent reaction vessel, one portion of which defines a mouth for said vessel; a flexible pressure-transmitting septum on said mouth of said vessel; a flexible cap for fixing the perimeter of said septum to the perimeter of said mouth of said vessel in an independent gas-tight relationship; a pressure transducer contacting said septum and external to said vessel for monitoring the pressure in said vessel as exerted against said flexible septum; and an adjustable a clamp for urging said vessel, said septum, said cap, and said transducer together under a defined force so that when the pressure in said vessel exceeds both the defined clamping force and the gas-tight relationship of said cap and said septum, said septum and said cap can flex and release the pressure from said vessel.