Composite chromatography column

1. A chromatography column comprising a tubular wall structure having a first end, a second end, an inner wall surface facing an interior of the tubular wall structure; and

an outer wall surface, said tubular wall structure comprising a fiber-reinforced layer wherein the inner wall surface comprises a metal; and

wherein the column is capable of withstanding a pressure of up to about 15,000 psig.

2. The column of claim 1 , wherein the metal comprises aluminum or stainless steel.

3. The column of claim 1 , further comprising:

a column inlet at the first end of the tubular wall structure, said column inlet having an inlet cross-sectional flow area; and

a column outlet at the second end of the tubular wall structure, said column outlet having an outlet cross-sectional flow area;

wherein the tubular wall structure has a tubular cross-sectional flow area between the column inlet and the column outlet, said tubular cross-sectional flow area being substantially equal to the inlet cross-sectional flow area, the outlet cross-sectional flow area, or both.

4. The column of claim 3 , wherein the tubular cross-sectional flow area is substantially equal to both the inlet cross-sectional flow area and the outlet cross-sectional flow area.

5. The column of claim 4 , wherein each of the tubular cross-sectional flow area, the inlet cross-sectional flow area, and the outlet cross-sectional flow area has a circular cross-sectional flow area.

6. The column of claim 1 , wherein the tubular wall structure comprises an outer fiber-reinforced layer and an inner metal layer, wherein an outer portion of said inner metal layer forms the inner wall surface.

7. The column of claim 6 , wherein the inner metal layer comprises aluminum or stainless steel.

8. The column of claim 6 , wherein a surface of the outer fiber-reinforced layer is in direct contact with a surface of the inner metal layer.

9. The column of claim 1 , wherein the tubular wall structure comprises an outer sleeve of fiber-reinforced material and an inner sleeve of metal, wherein an outer portion of said inner sleeve forms the inner wall surface.

10. The column of claim 9 , wherein the inner sleeve comprises flange portions on opposite ends of the inner sleeve, said flange portions forming the first end and second end of the tubular wall structure.

11. The column of claim 1 , wherein the outer wall surface of the tubular wall structure is a continuous surface that extends around an outer periphery of the tubular wall structure.

12. The column of claim 1 , wherein the fiber-reinforced layer comprises fibers embedded in a thermoplastic or thermoset resin, a ceramic matrix material, a metal or metal oxide matrix material, or a carbon matrix material; and said fibers comprise carbon fibers, aramid fibers, glass fibers, polybenzoxazole (PBO) fibers, or a combination thereof.

13. The column of claim 1 , wherein the fiber-reinforced layer comprises an epoxy resin.

14. The column of claim 1 , further comprising rigid support media within a column space surrounded by the tubular wall structure.

15. The column of claim 14 , wherein the rigid support media comprises a plurality of inorganic particles.

16. A method of treating a test sample that potentially contains at least one analyte, said method comprising the steps of:

introducing the test sample into the column of claim 14 .

17. A chromatography column comprising:

a column inlet at a first end of the column, said column inlet having an inlet cross-sectional flow area;

a column outlet at a second end of the column opposite the first end, said column outlet having an outlet cross-sectional flow area; and

a tubular wall structure extending between the column inlet and the column outlet, said tubular wall structure having a tubular cross-sectional flow area that is substantially constant along a length of the tubular wall structure and is substantially equal to the inlet cross-sectional flow area, the outlet cross-sectional flow area, or both;

wherein said tubular wall structure comprises:

an outer fiber-reinforced layer; and

an inner metal layer; and

wherein the chromatography column is capable of withstanding pressures of up to about 15,000 psig.