A microfabricated graphitic carbon column for high performance liquid chromatography

We report the first development of a novel, planar, microfluidic, graphitic carbon separations column utilizing an array of graphitic micropillars of diamond cross-section as the chromatographic stationary phase. 795 nm femtosecond laser ablation was employed to subtractively machine fluidic architectures and a micropillared array in a planar, graphitic substrate as a monolithic structure. A sample injector was integrated on-chip, together with fluid-flow distribution architectures to minimize band-broadening and ensure sample equi-distribution across the micro-pillared column width. The separations chip was interfaced directly to the ESI probe of a Thermofisher Surveyor mass spectrometer, enabling the detection of test-mixture analytes following their differential retention on the micro-pillared graphitic column, thus demonstrating the exciting potential of this novel separations format. Importantly, unlike porous, graphitic microspheres, the temperature and pressure resilience of the microfluidic device potentially enables use in subcritical H(2)O chromatography.     

Monolayer-protected gold nanoparticles as an efficient stationary phase for open tubular gas chromatography using a square capillary model for chip-based gas chromatography in square cornered microfabricated channels

The application of a dodecanethiol monolayer-protected gold nanoparticle (MPN) stationary phase within a microchannel environment was explored using a square capillary column as a model for high-speed, microfabricated gas chromatography (microGC). Successful deposition and evaluation of a dodecanethiol MPN phase within a 1.3 m long, 100 microm x 100 microm square capillary is reported. The thickness of the MPN phase was evaluated using SEM analysis. An average thickness of 15 nm along the capillary walls was determined. While the film depth along the walls was very uniform, the corner depths were greater with the largest observed depth being 430 nm. Overall, an efficient chromatographic system was obtained with a minimum reduced plate height, h(min), of 1.2 for octane (k = 0.22). Characterization of the MPN column was completed using four compound classes (alkanes, alcohols, ketones, and aromatics) that were used to form a seven-component mixture with a 2-s separation. A mixture consisting of a nerve agent simulant in a sample containing analytes that may commonly interfere with detection was also separated in only 2 s, much faster than a similar separation previously reported using a microGC system requiring 50 s. A comparison of the MPN stationary phase to phases employed in previously reported microGC systems is also made. Application of the square capillary MPN column for a high-speed separation as the second column of a comprehensive 2-D gas chromatography system (GC x GC) was also explored.     

Solid-state gas sensors for breath analysis: A review

The analysis of volatile compounds is an efficient method to appraise information about the chemical composition of liquids and solids. This principle is applied to several practical applications, such as food analysis where many important features (e.g. freshness) can be directly inferred from the analysis of volatile compounds.     

A new photoionization detector for gas chromatography

Summary A new photoionization detector for gas chromatography is discribed. The source of vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) radiation is separated from the ionization chamber by a window and thus the ionization chamber may be run at atmospheric pressure using an intense source of ionizing radiation. The operation consequently is improved and considerably simplified. Except for a ten times reduction in linearity, the performance characteristics of the detector are comparable to those of the flame ionization detector. Filtration of the VUV radiation allows the selectivity to be varied without affecting the dynamic properties of the detector.Z. ternberg, N. Ostoji, Yug. Pat. Appl.     

A polar macroporous sorbent for gas chromatography

Summary The gas chromatographic behaviour of crosslinked macroporous 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate grafted with 2-methyloxazoline was investigated and the range of applicability of the copolymer was assessed. Retention index values were measured on this copolymer and compared with those obtained on the terpolymer 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-ethylene dimethacrylate-acrylonitrile. Rohrschneider constants and efficiency data for selected sorbates are given. The use of this type of polymer in the separation of various types of compounds is documented by various examples.     

High-speed, temperature programmable gas chromatography utilizing a microfabricated chip with an improved carbon nanotube stationary phase

A new growth recipe for producing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) combined with a new bonding technique was implemented in a microfabricated gas chromatography (micro-GC) chip. Specifically, the micro-GC chip contained a 30-cm (length) microfabricated channel with a 50 μm × 50 μm square cross-section. A CNT stationary phase “mat” was grown on the bottom of the separation channel prior to the chip bonding. Injections onto the micro-GC chip were made using a previously reported high-speed diaphragm valve technique. A FID was used for detection with a high-speed electrometer board. All together, the result was a highly efficiency, temperature programmable (via low thermal mass, rapid on-chip resistive heating) micro-GC chip. In general, the newly designed micro-GC chip can be operated at significantly lower temperature and pressure than our previously reported micro-GC chip, while producing excellent chemical separations. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images show a relatively thin and uniform mat of nanotubes with a thickness of ∼800 nm inside the channel. The stationary phase was further characterized using Raman spectroscopy. The uniformity of the stationary phase resulted in better separation efficiency and peak symmetry (as compared to our previous report) in the separation of a mixture of five n-alkanes (n-hexane, n-octane, n-nonane, n-decane and n-undecane). The on-chip resistive heater employing a temperature programming rate of 26 °C/s produced a peak capacity of eight within a 1.5-s time window.     

Electrochemical sensors for environmental gas analysis

The application of electrochemical sensors for measurement of concentration of pollutant gases in air in the part-per-billion (10⁹) range is reviewed. Performance-limiting factors, particularly the effects of extremes and of relatively rapid changes in ambient temperature and humidity, are noted. Variations in composition of the electrolyte in the meniscus at the electrode–gas interface and instability of the solid–liquid–gas contact line, causing important variations in current due to background electrode reactions, are deduced and suggested as the reason for the performance limitations. Suggestions are made for mitigation through instrument design.     

A novel power-controlling approach for integrated,conductometric gas sensors

An original power controlling driving/reading circuit for Porous Silicon JFET (PSJFET) gas sensors is presented. The PSJFET is an integrated p-channel JFET with two independent gates: a meso-structured PS layer, acting as a sensing, floating gate, which modulates the JFET current upon adsorption/desorption of specific analytes, and a high-impedance electric gate, which allows the JFET current tuning independently from analytes in the environment. The circuit exploits the independence of the sensing and electrical gate terminals to set/control the sensor power-dissipation, which is kept almost constant independently from adsorption/desorption-induced effects, while simultaneously carrying out a current-voltage conversion. For such a purpose, a negative feedback loop is used to modulate the PSJFET electric gate voltage, which becomes the output signal, while keeping constant the source-drain sensor current and, hence, the power dissipation. The proposed approach is validated by performing time-resolved measurements on PSJFET sensors under different NO₂ concentrations (100ppb, 300ppb, 500ppb), at room temperature.     

A surface ionization detector for capillary gas chromatography

A novel surface ionization detector using a reducing quartz liner and a Mo emitter with a quartz enclosed internal heater for selective measurement of alkylamines by gas chromatography is designed and evaluated.     

A water trap for static cryo-headspace gas chromatography

The headspace gas in static headspace gas chromatography contains mostly saturated water vapor. In the case of the cryofocusing enrichment technique this may cause baseline distortion in the early part of the chromatogram or may even lead to ice-plugging of the capillary column. A water-trap is described in which the water vapor is removed from the headspace gas before entering the cryo-trap. The water trap is packed with lithium chloride on a porous support and is regenerated after each analysis by heating under backflush conditions. It therefore can be used for automatic operation. Data are given for the precision and accuracy, and some practical examples, for environmental and flavor analysis are shown.     

A chemically bonded glass-whisker column for gas chromatography

Summary Silica whiskers were grown on the inside of an open-tubular glass capillary column according to a modified version of Schieke's method. The surface of the silica whiskers was modified by reaction with a flowing solution of octadecylsilyl trichloride and hexamethyl-disilazane, then with a mixture of trimethylchlorosilane and hexa-methyldisilazane. The whiskers grown and the surface modifications were examined with a scanning electron microscope and an electron microprobe X-ray analyser. Finally, the chemically bonded glasswhisker columns thus prepared were evaluated with mixtures of hydrocarbons, fatty acid methyl esters andn-alcohols under isothermal or programmed-temperature conditions.

---

Eine Säule mit chemisch gebundenen Whiskers für Zwecke der Gaschromatographie

Zusammenfassung Die Innenseite einer kapillaren Glasrohrkolonne wurde nach den Angaben von Schieke mit Quarz-Whiskers versehen. Deren Oberfläche wurde durch Reaktion mit einer fließenden Lösung von Oktadecylsilyltrichlorid und Hexamethyldisilazan, dann mit einer Mischung von Trimethylchlorsilan und Hexamethyldisilazan modifiziert. Die Whiskers und die veränderte Oberfläche wurden mit einem Raster-Elektronenmikroskop und mit einer Röntgenstrahlensonde untersucht. Schließlich wurden diese Säulen mit Kohlenwasserstoff-Gemischen, Fettsäuremethylestern undn-Alkoholen unter isothermen Bedingungen oder bei programmierten Temperaturen getestet.

---

---

Presented at the 8th International Microchemical Symposium, Graz, August 25–30, 1980.     

A microfabricated hybrid device for DNA sequencing

We have created a hybrid device of a microfabricated round-channel twin-T injector incorporated with a separation capillary in order to extend the straight separation distance for high speed and long readlength DNA sequencing. Semicircular grooves on glass wafers are obtained using a photomask with a narrow line-width and a standard isotropic photolithographic etching process. Round channels are made when two etched wafers are face-to-face aligned and bonded. A two-mask fabrication process has been developed to make channels of two different diameters. The twin-T injector is formed by the smaller channels whose diameter matches the bore of the separation capillary, and the "usual" separation channel, now called the connection channel, is formed by the larger ones whose diameter matches the outer diameter of the separation capillary. The separation capillary is inserted through the connection channel all the way to the twin-T injector to allow the capillary bore flush with the twin-T injector channels. The total dead-volume of the connection is estimated to be approximately 5 pL. To demonstrate the efficiency of this hybrid device, we have performed four-color DNA sequencing on it. Using a 200 microm twin-T injector coupled with a separation capillary of 20 cm effective separation distance, we have obtained readlengths of 800 plus bases at an accuracy of 98.5% in 56 min, compared to about 650 bases in 100 min on a conventional 40 cm long capillary sequencing machine under similar conditions. At an increased separation field strength and using a diluted sieving matrix, the separation time has been reduced to 20 min with a readlength of 700 bases at 98.5% base-calling accuracy.     

A trapping column for the coupling of reversed-phase liquid chromatography and capillary gas chromatography

A new technique for coupling reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) with gas chromatography is described. A fraction eluting from an RPLC column is trapped on a short column packed with polymeric adsorbent. After the mobile phase has been displaced with water, the analytes are desorbed with ethyl acetate. Following a delay time to enable the water to be flushed to waste, the ethyl acetate containing the analytes is introduced into the gas chromatograph under conditions suitable for partially concurrent solvent evaporation, i.e. below the solvent boiling point and at a rate just exceeding the evaporation rate. Post-column addition of water to the RPLC eluent helps to prevent breakthrough of compounds which are only modestly retained on the trapping column. The relationship between the capacity factors of the analytes on the trapping column and the required dilution factor is discussed. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are used as test compounds to study the system.     

Electrically actuated, pressure-driven liquid chromatography separations in microfabricated devices

Electrolysis-based micropumps integrated with microfluidic channels in micromachined glass substrates are presented. Photolithography combined with wet chemical etching and thermal bonding enabled the fabrication of multi-layer devices containing electrically actuated micropumps interfaced with sample and mobile phase reservoirs. A stationary phase was deposited on the microchannel walls by coating with 10% (w/w) chlorodimethyloctadecylsilane in toluene. Pressure-balanced injection was implemented by controlling the electrolysis time and voltage applied in the two independent micropumps. Current fluctuations in the micropumps due to the stochastic formation of bubbles on the electrode surfaces were determined to be the main cause of variation between separations. On-chip electrochemical pumping enabled the loading of pL samples with no dead volume between injection and separation. A mobile phase composed of 70% acetonitrile and 30% 50 mM acetate buffer (pH 5.45) was used for the chromatographic separation of three fluorescently labeled amino acids in <40 s with an efficiency of >3000 theoretical plates in a 2.5 cm-long channel. Our results demonstrate the potential of electrochemical micropumps integrated with microchannels to perform rapid chromatographic separations in a microfabricated platform. Importantly, these devices represent a significant step toward the development of miniaturized and fully integrated liquid chromatography systems.