Development of a low-cost gas chromatograph with a polyaniline-modified silica gel stationary phase for the isolation of hydrogen and carbon dioxide gases

Abstract

Gas chromatography (GC) is a widely used analytical technique in chemistry and various scientific fields for separating and analyzing volatile compounds within complex mixtures. Low-cost gas chromatography (GC) systems offer a fusion of affordability and analytical precision for scientific exploration and innovation. Such portable and cost-effective systems enable on-site testing, which is crucial in environmental monitoring, food safety, forensic analysis, and more. Here, we present a novel approach to enhance the performance of gas chromatography by developing a cost-effective and highly efficient stationary phase column material. For this, polyaniline (PANI)-modified silica gel was meticulously prepared through the in situ chemical polymerization method and characterized through various techniques such as field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy for the morphological, chemical bonding, and functional group analysis. The resultant material exhibited remarkable stability and selectivity, making it an ideal candidate for a stationary phase column. The column was connected through an Arduino-based detection system built by integrating commercially available low-cost H₂ and CO₂ detectors with Arduino and a LabVIEW-based program. The system enables a quantitative and qualitative analysis of H₂ and CO₂ gases. Through a series of chromatographic experiments, we have demonstrated the composite's efficacy in achieving superior separation properties, reduced analysis time, and enhanced resolution compared to conventional stationary phases. The use of PANI-modified silica gel in a GC stationary column for H₂ and CO₂ analysis has not yet been published or reported elsewhere.