DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ENHANCED COLLECTION AND ASSAY OF CHEMICALS WITH HIGH SURFACE AREA CERAMIC

• US 20140017805A1
• Filed: 07/11/2012
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Original Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Inventors: Addleman, Raymond S., Li, Xiaohong Shari, Chouyyok, Wilaiwan, Cinson, Anthony D., Bays, John T., Wallace, Krys
• Granted Patent: US 9,259,708 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/178
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/103 comprising silica
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/2803 Sorbents comprising a binder, e.g. for forming aggregated, agglomerated or granulated products
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28042 Shaped bodies; Monolithic structures
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28054 characterised by their surface properties or porosity
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/283 based on silica
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3042 Use of binding agents; addition of materials ameliorating the mechanical properties of the produced sorbent
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3078 Thermal treatment, e.g. calcining or pyrolizing
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3234 Inorganic material layers
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3293 Coatings on a core, the core being particle or fiber shaped, e.g. encapsulated particles, coated fibers
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3295 Coatings made of particles, nanoparticles, fibers, nanofibers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/255 including use of a solid sorbent, semipermeable membrane, or liquid extraction

Abstract

A method and device for enhanced capture of target analytes is disclosed. This invention relates to collection of chemicals for separations and analysis. More specifically, this invention relates to a solid phase microextraction (SPME) device having better capability for chemical collection and analysis. This includes better physical stability, capacity for chemical collection, flexible surface chemistry and high affinity for target analyte.

Claims

1. A device for enhanced capture of target analytes, comprising:

a. a support surface; and

b. a thin film containing a plurality of nanopores bound to the support surface, wherein the nanopores include suitable chemistry installed therein for capture of a target analyte.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the nanopores are silica nanopores.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the support surface is a substrate.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the substrate is one of the following:

a fiber, a metal wire, a planar support, and a tubular structure.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the support surface is porous.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein support surface is coated by the thin film containing the nanopores.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the nanoporous thin film is coated on the outside of the support surface.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the nanoporous thin film is coated on the inside of the support surface.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising a binder to increase the stability and uniformity of the thin film.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the surface chemistry forms a sorbent layer.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the sorbent layer is a silane, and other surface chemistries are installed such as physisorbed low vapors pressure organics or covalently bound surface chemistries such as phosphonic acid with organic components.

12. The device of claim 10 wherein the sorbent layer comprises a polyfunctional chemistry, wherein the polyfunctional chemistry is at least one of the following:

organics, organometallics, metals, nanoparticle, complex molecules, and combinations thereof

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the target analyte is a gas-phase or a liquid-phase analyte.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the gas or liquid-phase trace level analyte is at least one of the following:

explosives, explosive variants, chemical weapons agents, pesticides, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the thin film bound to the support surface is integrated into commercially available equipment that directly interfaces with analytical testing equipment including, but not limited to, gas chromatographers (GC) and head space analyzers.

16. A method of selective and specific capturing of target analytes comprising:

a. providing a support surface;

b. coating the support surface with a thin film containing a plurality of nanopores; and

c. installing functionalized chemistry on a surface of the nanopores;

wherein the nanopores containing the chemistry to capture target analytes.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the nanopores are silica nanopores.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the support surface is a substrate.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the substrate is one of the following:

a fiber, a metal wire, a planar support, and a tubular structure.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the nanoporous thin film is coated on the outside of the support surface.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the nanoporous thin film is coated on the inside of the support surface.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein the thin film is deposited on to the support surface by at least one of the following:

dip coating, molding, and spray-on.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the thin film is subsequently sintered to solidify film adhesion to the support surface.

24. The method of claim 16 further comprising applying a binder to increase the stability and uniformity of the thin film.

25. The method of claim 16 wherein the support surface is porous.

26. The method of claim 16 wherein the surface chemistry forms a sorbent layer.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the sorbent layer is a silane.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the sorbent layer comprises a polyfunctional chemistry, wherein the polyfunctional chemistry is at least one of the following:

organics, metal centers, complex molecules, and combinations thereof

29. The method of claim 16 wherein the target analyte is a gas-phase or a liquid-phase analyte.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the gas or liquid-phase analyte is at least one of the following:

explosives, explosive variants, chemical weapons agents, pesticides, drug, or volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

31. A device for selective and specific capture of target analytes, comprising:

a. a tubular support having an empty space; and

b. a nanoporous thin film coated inside the tubular support, wherein a surface of the nanopores includes functionalized chemistry installed therein for selective and specific capture of a target analyte drawn into the empty space.

32. The device of claim 31 further comprising equipment to separate and analyze the captured analytes.

33. A method of selective and specific capture of target analytes comprising:

a. providing a tubular support having an empty space;

b. coating the inside of the tubular support with a thin film containing a plurality of nanopores;

c. installing chemistry on a surface of the nanopores; and

d. drawing a target analyte into the empty space for specific capture of the analyte with the nanopores containing the chemistry.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising separating and analyzing the captured analytes.