Development of µGC (micro gas chromatography) with high performance micromachined chip column

A micro gas chromatography (µGC) instrument applying a high performance chip column fabricated on a silicon wafer was developed. Experimental results of the chip column and protyping of a µGC instrument are described. Approximately 35 000 theoretical plates were generated with the chip column coated liquid phase (5% phenyl‐/95% dimethyl‐polysiloxane). The theoretical plates of the chip column were close to those of the capillary column. Experimental minimum height equivalent to a theoretical plate (HETP, Hmin) of the chip column was 1.2 times higher than the calculated Hmin. A prototype µGC applying the chip column was developed. The µGC generated approximately 35 000 theoretical plates, similar to the theoretical plates obtained by a commercial GC instrument. Copyright © 2009 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.