Dispersion Effects of Microchannel Configurations on Microgc Performance

Microchannels are essential components of microreactor or microseparation devices. In the process of accommodating long microchannels on a small chip area, there exists a choice of channel configurations. The objective of this paper is to understand how microchannel configurations the separation performance of a micro gas chromatographic column operating under laminar conditions.

Here we present results of extensive tests done using three different configurations: 1)Serpentines, 2)Circular Spirals and, 3)Square Spirals. The results presented here will help future microGC designers in designing high separation efficiency columns. The microchannels are fabricated in silicon and connected to a conventional gas chromatograph operating in high speed mode. The paper will present RTD measurements to compare the gas chromatographic performance of different channel configurations. Effect of configurations is demonstrated on separation of analytical chemical mixtures.