title: High-performance liquid chromatography on glass chips using precisely defined porous polymer monoliths as particle retaining elements.
abstract: A stable and permanent integration of miniature packed bed separation columns into microfluidic systems is a major issue in nano liquid chromatography. Various approaches like differently shaped retaining elements or the use of key stone effect have been investigated. We show a flexible integration of miniature packed bed separation columns into microfluidic chips utilising common HPLC material achieved by laser-assisted generation of narrow, photopolymerised frits. The generated retaining elements serve as an in- and outlet frits for the columns. An optimised pre-polymeric solution, consisting of butyl acrylates and a porogen, allows a precise fabrication of frit-type structures with lengths of less than 100 m and the capability to withstand common slurry packing pressures of more than 250 bar. The separation of seven polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by pressure-driven, reversed-phase chromatography proves the high quality of the created chromatographic column inside a glass chip. Plate heights down to 2.9 were achieved and extremely fast separations with sub-second peak widths were performed in isocratic and gradient elution modes on very short columns (≤ 25 mm).
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thurmann
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mauritz
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heck
authors.forename: Detlev
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Belder
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D056148:Chromatography, Reverse-Phase / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D016062:Porosity; D011312:Pressure; D012996:Solutions; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D011108:Polymers; D012996:Solutions