High-resolution liquid chromatographic
separations in 400 nm deep micro-machined silicon channels and fluorescence
charge-coupled device camera detection under stopped-flow conditions
D. Clicq , S. Vankrunkelsven , W. Ranson , C.
De Tandt , G. V. Baron and G. Desmet
Abstract
We report on a study exploring the possibilities of silicon etched,
flat-rectangular nano-channels for the acceleration of liquid chromatography
separations. Using the shear-forces originating from a moving channel part to
propagate the mobile phase flow, a mixture of two neutral coumarin dyes could be
separated in less than 50 ms and with a resolution of over N = 106 plates/m. The
obtained experimental van Deemter-plot show a good agreement with the
theoretical expectations and has a minimal plate height around H = 1.0 m (k =
1.5) and H = 0.6 m (k = 0.5). The different steps in the fabrication of the nano-channels,
and the advantages of a novel detection scheme, based on fluorescent
charge-coupled device-array imaging under stopped-flow conditions, are discussed
as well.
© 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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