Applications of InertMask Treated Metal Components to Analytical Chemistry

Surface treatments can significantly modify the properties of material surfaces, imparting new functionalities such as enhanced corrosion resistance, chemical stability, wear and thermal resistance, and altering hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity, as well as inertness properties. Suitable surface treatments applied to various materials used in analytical chemistry, such as metals, plastics, and glass, can enhance sample handling, improve detection sensitivity, and increase the durability of the equipment. Our research focused on developing a novel surface functionalization technique, named “InertMask”, through the use of chemical vapor deposition (CVD). This technique was specifically applied to stainless steel components, which are prevalently used in analytical instruments, aiming to overcome challenges associated with the adsorption of metal-sensitive samples and to enhance the overall detection sensitivity of analytical methods. The effectiveness of the InertMask treatment was evaluated by applying the treated stainless steel parts in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC). The results indicated a significant reduction in the adsorption of samples that typically exhibit metal adsorption.