title: Theoretical optimisation of the side-wall of micropillar array columns using computational fluid dynamics.
abstract: The present study provides an overview of the ideal side-wall position in micro-pillar array columns for the case of semi-embedded side-walls. The position has been determined using computational fluid dynamics simulations of the flow field in flow domains with different side-wall shifts. Optimal side-wall shift values are presented for a wide range of shapes (cylinders, and diamonds and hexagons with different aspect ratios) and packing densities. Simple linear correlations that allow calculating the optimised side-wall geometries for the different considered variety of shapes and packing densities could be established. Interestingly, only two correlations are needed to represent all investigated cases: one correlation for all diamonds, and one correlation for the cylinders and all hexagons. Compared to the case of a flat side-wall, the minimal feature size on the mask can be increased by a factor of 2.5 in the case of cylindrical pillar bed with external porosity ɛ=0.4, implying that that much smaller pillar diameters can be used in the bulk of the bed before the minimal feature size on the mask falls below the lithography resolution.
authors.affiliation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Chemical Engineering (Transport Modelling & Analytical Separation Science-group), Pleinlaan 2, 1040 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Joris
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vangelooven
authors.forename: Gert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Desmet
mesh_terms: D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000295:instrumentation*; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D016062:Porosity; D012117:Resins, Synthetic / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D012117:Resins, Synthetic