Micro-fabricated semi-packed column for gas chromatography by using functionalized parylene as a stationary phase

The conformal coating of effective stationary phases onto micro-fabricated columns having complex geometries such as semi-packed columns poses a real challenge. Here, we report for the first time the conformal coating of a semi-packed column with amino-functionalized parylene diX-AM (poly-aminomethyl-[2,2]-paracyclophane), which was found to be an effective stationary-phase material for the chromatography of short-retention-time compounds. A semi-packed column (consisting of a zigzag array of 30 μm square micro-pillars in a 1.0 m long, 180 μm wide and 230 μm deep channel) and an open tubular column (1.0 m long, 160 μm wide and 230 μm deep channel) used for comparison purposes were micro-fabricated on silicon that was subsequently coated with diX-AM parylene and thermally bonded. The chromatograms recorded on a commercial gas chromatograph demonstrated the usefulness of the conformal diX-AM coating as a stationary phase for semi-packed columns. The separation efficiency of the semi-packed column was found to be more than ten times that of the open tubular column.