title: Review on recent and advanced applications of monoliths and related porous polymer gels in micro-fluidic devices.
abstract: This review critically summarises recent novel and advanced achievements in the application of monolithic materials and related porous polymer gels in micro-fluidic devices appearing within the literature over the period of the last 5 years (2005-2010). The range of monolithic materials has developed rapidly over the past decade, with a diverse and highly versatile class of materials now available, with each exhibiting distinct porosities, pore sizes, and a wide variety of surface functionalities. A major advantage of these materials is their ease of preparation in micro-fluidic channels by in situ polymerisation, leading to monolithic materials being increasingly utilised for a larger variety of purposes in micro-fluidic platforms. Applications of porous polymer monoliths, silica-based monoliths and related homogeneous porous polymer gels in the preparation of separation columns, ion-permeable membranes, preconcentrators, extractors, electrospray emitters, micro-valves, electrokinetic pumps, micro-reactors and micro-mixers in micro-fluidic devices are discussed herein. Procedures used in the preparation of monolithic materials in micro-channels, as well as some practical aspects of the micro-fluidic chip fabrication are addressed. Recent analytical/bioanalytical and catalytic applications of the final micro-fluidic devices incorporating monolithic materials are also reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Irish Separation Science Cluster, National Centre for Sensor Research, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Dublin, Ireland. mercedes.vazquez@dcu.ie
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vázquez
authors.forename: Brett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Paull
mesh_terms: D053000:Analytic Sample Preparation Methods / Q000295:instrumentation; D053801:Capillary Electrochromatography / Q000379:methods; D002384:Catalysis; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques; D008832:Microchemistry / Q000379:methods; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008904:Miniaturization / Q000379:methods; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D052617:Solid Phase Microextraction / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers