title: Fabrication of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8-methacrylate monolith composite capillary columns for fast gas chromatographic separation of small molecules.
abstract: A composite zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) with a butyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate (BuMA-co-EDMA) monolithic capillary column (33.5cm long×250μm i.d.) was fabricated to enhance the separation efficiency of methacrylate monoliths toward small molecules using conventional low-pressure gas chromatography in comparison with a neat butyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate (BuMA-co-EDMA) monolithic capillary column (33.5cm long×250μm i.d.). The addition of 10mgmL(-1) ZIF-8 micro-particles increased the BET surface area of BuMA-co-EDMA by 3.4-fold. A fast separation of five linear alkanes in 36s with high resolution (Rs≥1.3) was performed using temperature program. Isothermal separation of the same sample also showed a high efficiency (3315platesm(-1) for octane) at 0.89min. Moreover, the column was able to separate skeletal isomers, such as iso-octane/octane and 2-methyl octane/nonane. In addition, an iso-butane/iso-butylene gas mixture was separated at ambient temperature. Comparison with an open tubular TR-5MS column (30m long×250μm i.d.) revealed the superiority of the composite column in separating the five-membered linear alkane mixture with 4-5 times increase in efficiency and a total separation time of 0.89min instead of 4.67min. A paint thinner sample was fully separated using the composite column in 2.43min with a good resolution (Rs≥0.89). The perfect combination between the polymeric monolith, with its high permeability, and ZIF-8, with its high surface area and flexible 0.34nm pore openings, led to the fast separation of small molecules with high efficiency and opened a new horizon in GC applications.
authors.affiliation: Advanced Materials Research Chair, Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: dr_kareemyusuf@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Kareem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yusuf
authors.affiliation: Advanced Materials Research Chair, Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ahmed Yacine
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Badjah-Hadj-Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Advanced Materials Research Chair, Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aqel
authors.affiliation: Advanced Materials Research Chair, Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Zeid Abdullah
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: ALOthman
mesh_terms: D000473:Alkanes / Q000737:chemistry; D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000737:chemistry*; D007536:Isomerism; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000737:chemistry; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; D007093:Imidazoles; D008689:Methacrylates; D009930:Organic Chemicals; C004919:ethylene dimethacrylate; C016284:butyl methacrylate; C017573:nonane
keywords: Fast separation; Gas chromatography; Metal organic framework; Organic polymer monolith; Zeolitic imidazolate framework