Abstract
To achieve both high speed and separation efficiency in the separation of a mixture of nerve and blister agent simulants, a high-aspect-ratio micro-fabricated multi-capillary column (MCC, a 50-cm-long, 450-μm-deep, and 60-μm-wide four-capillary column) was fabricated by the application of the microelectromechanical system (MEMS) techniques. Mixtures of chemical warfare agent (CWA) simulants - dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), triethyl phosphate (TEP), and methyl salicylate - were used as samples. The fabricated MCC allowed for the separation of all the components of the gaseous mixture within 24 s, even when the difference in boiling point was 4°C, as in the case of TEP and methyl salicylate. Furthermore, interfering agents - dichloromethane, ethanol, and toluene - were also included in the subsequent gaseous mixture samples. The boiling point of these six components ranged from 78°C to 219°C. All six components were clearly separated within 70 s. This study is the first to report the clear separation of gas mixtures of components with close boiling points. The column efficiency was experimentally determined to be 12,810 plates/m.
Highlights
Since Terry's first report in 1979 [1], micro-fabricated gas chromatography (GC) columns have been developed for over 30 years
Silicon is often used as a substrate for column fabrication. These GC columns come in small sizes with high-column efficiency [2] and differ significantly from packed or capillary columns, which are made of steel or silica [3,4]
Flow splitters To ensure that the sample gas is partitioned into each channel of the multi-capillary columns (MCCs), flow splitters were designed (Figure 2b)
Summary
Since Terry's first report in 1979 [1], micro-fabricated gas chromatography (GC) columns have been developed for over 30 years. Silicon is often used as a substrate for column fabrication. These GC columns come in small sizes with high-column efficiency [2] and differ significantly from packed or capillary columns, which are made of steel or silica [3,4]. Micro-fabricated columns are suitable for applications in hand-held GC systems [5]. The structure of the GC column varies when fabricated via microelectromechanical system (MEMS) processes. Since the depth and width of columns can be arbitrarily designed, the column structure can feature different aspect ratios. These flexibilities provide a new direction for research in this field
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