Application of carbon nano-powders for a gas micro-preconcentrator

This paper presents a feasibility study on the development of a gas preconcentrator based on micro-reactor technology on silicon. The objectives are to select a gas adsorbent material, to produce a silicon micro-reactor with an integrated heater, and finally to introduce the most suitable adsorbent into the micro-channels of the device. Preliminary results related to the characterization of a carbon adsorbent for the development of a device for the preconcentration of benzene are reported. Carbon nano-powders have been tested as adsorbent material by the determination of the breakthrough time on a dedicated test bench consisting of gas sensors and a non-selective photoionization detector (micro-PID) analyzer. A fluidic deposition process allows filling up the silicon micro-channels with the carbon nano-powder. The interest in using porous silicon to enhance the binding of the carbon nano-particles in the micro-channels was also investigated. A silicon micromachined preconcentrator filled with 0.30 mg of commercial activated charcoal powder (Aldrich, 30–100 nm) was designed and built up. The total capacity of adsorption was determined by using the breakthrough time, which is of 2.2 min under a gas flow of 100 ppm of benzene at 1 l/h. Preliminary tests of preconcentration with 100 and 1.3 ppm benzene in dry air were performed.