nir-vana innovation network

The Institute of research has a long expertise in materials and processes for the development of microelectronic devices and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS).
The Institute is equipped with a wide range of facilities for design, manufacture, characterization of devices, and for investigation of materials properties and processes, allowing a global approach to material science, microelectronics and MEMS research activities.
The team is composed mainly by physicists and electronic engineers with expertise of design, simulation, clean-room processing and functional characterization of MEMS devices.
The compact-GC platform is a microsystems-based analytical module for the purge and trap pre-concentration and (gas)-chromatographic separation of a sample. The two analytical microsystems (pre-concentrator and gas-chromatographic column) are interconnected by means of a micro machined microfluidic manifold. The microfluidic manifold interconnects the analytical microsystems, but it also acts as injector through the integrated micro-valves. The main characteristics of the invention, namely the wide adoption of silicon micromachining technology and the system integration solutions adopted, enable the operation of the entire system at high temperature (above 200°C), as necessary for the analysis of a wide range of substances, from volatile to high-boiling compounds. The system is miniaturized, robust, low-cost and efficient, both in terms of power consumption and of consumables. The compact-GC module can be coupled to a wide range of detectors.

The researchers are looking for:
- financial agreement: a funded research activity aiming at the demonstration of the capabilities of the compact-GC platform for specific market applications in the field of high-end gas sensing.
- license agreement: the patented compact-GC technology can be licensed for the production of portable or miniaturized analytical gas sensing equipment.
- research cooperation agreement: through cooperative research, the coupling of the compact-GC platform with innovative detector technologies can be demonstrated, opening new market opportunities.

Advantages & innovations

Compared to other miniaturized and/or microsystems-based gas-chromatographic systems, this innovation combines the purge and trap enrichment functionality with chromatographic separation, thus increasing both the sensitivity and the selectivity of the analysis on a wide range of samples. The main competitive advantages are thus relative to the versatility, meaning the applicability of the gas-chromatographic analysis to different use scenarios. The miniaturized microsystems implementation is particularly suitable for the assembly of portable equipment for in-field analyses. Furthermore, the compact-GC platform is flexible and rapidly re-configurable for the use of different injector types (purge and trap, loop) and different types of gas-chromatographic columns (packed or fast open tubular wall coated capillary). The detector is not a part of the platform, since compact-GC is compatible with a wide range of detectors, both commercially available (photoionization, flame ionization, thermal conductivity detection) and innovative (ion-mobility spectroscopy, photo-acoustic, micro-pulsed discharge detector).

Stage of development

Prototype available for demonstration

Partner sought

The research group looks for specific expertise in relation to the kind of agreement sought, as follows. Financial agreement: industrial partners aiming at the demonstration of the capabilities of the compact-GC platform for specific market applications in the field of high-end gas sensing. The industrial partners should provide their sensing needs and applications, and the respective specifications. License agreement: industrial partners aiming at licensing the patented compact-GC technology for the production of portable or miniaturized analytical gas sensing equipment. Research cooperation agreement: companies and R&D groups working on gas sensing equipment, interested in coupling the compact-GC platform with their own innovative sensor or detector technologies. The ideal partners bring their own know-how and/or their specific application needs.