Miniaturized ultra-high performance supercritical fluid chromatography with chip-compatible flame ionization detector and ion mobility spectrometer

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Detlev Belder; Professor Dr.-Ing. Stefan Zimmermann
• Subject Area: Measurement Systems
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 511484482

As known from preliminary work, miniaturization of supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) allows for analyzing of enantiomers at unsurpassed high speed. However, no scientific approach currently exists to a) reach the theoretically possible separation performance in practice and b) detect the eluted substances sufficiently fast and with high sensitivity. With a targeted approach based on modular microfluidics (chip-SFC with microfluidic backpressure control) and a dead volume-free coupling to highly sensitive and chip-compatible detectors, we are aiming for the theoretically possible separation performance of SFC. Therefore, a compact flame ionization detector with direct microfluidic coupling and a dual ion mobility spectrometer with X-ray ionization and an ionization region tailored to fast chip-SFC with fluidic focusing of the eluate will be developed. Besides extremely sensitive detection of the eluted substances, ion mobility spectrometry allows for an orthogonal analysis by ion mobility. In this joint research project of the two working groups Belder (Leipzig) and Zimmermann (Hannover), the scientific basis for the first realization of a miniaturized SFC analysis system will be laid, which has considerable application potential, especially in high-speed analysis of isomers.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants