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Thermoset polyester as an alternative material for microchip electrophoresis/electrochemistry
Author(s) -
Vickers Jonathan A.,
Dressen Brian M.,
Weston Melissa C.,
Boonsong Kanokporn,
Chailapakul Orawan,
Cropek Donald M.,
Henry Charles S.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
electrophoresis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.666
H-Index - 158
eISSN - 1522-2683
pISSN - 0173-0835
DOI - 10.1002/elps.200600445
Subject(s) - thermosetting polymer , materials science , fabrication , polyester , polymer , analyte , coating , chemical engineering , surface modification , nanotechnology , chromatography , composite material , chemistry , engineering , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology
Abstract Microchip CE coupled with electrochemical detection (MCE‐EC) is a good method for the direct detection of many small molecule analytes because the technique is sensitive and readily miniaturized. Polymer materials are being increasingly used with MCE due to their affordability and ease of fabrication. While PDMS has become arguably the most widely used material in MCE‐EC due to the simplicity of microelectrode incorporation, it suffers from a lack of separation efficiency, lower surface stability, and a tendency for analyte sorption. Other polymers, such as poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(carbonate) (PC), have higher separation efficiencies but require more difficult fabrication techniques for electrode incorporation. In this report, thermoset polyester (TPE) was characterized as an alternative material for MCE‐EC. TPE microchips were characterized in their native and plasma oxidized forms and after coating with polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs). TPE provides higher separation efficiencies when compared to PDMS microchips, while still using simple fabrication protocols. In this work, separation efficiencies as high as 295 000 N/m were seen when using TPE MCE‐EC devices. Furthermore, the EOF was higher and more consistent as a function of pH for both native and plasma‐treated TPE than PDMS. Finally, TPE is amenable to modification using simple PEM coatings as another way to control surface chemistry and surface charge.