Open-Source-Based 3D Printing of Thin Silica Gel Layers in Planar Chromatography

Abstract

On the basis of open-source packages, 3D printing of thin silica gel layers is demonstrated as proof-of-principle for use in planar chromatography. A slurry doser was designed to replace the plastic extruder of an open-source Prusa i3 printer. The optimal parameters for 3D printing of layers were studied, and the planar chromatographic separations on these printed layers were successfully demonstrated with a mixture of dyes. The layer printing process was fast. For printing a 0.2 mm layer on a 10 cm × 10 cm format, it took less than 5 min. It was affordable, i.e., the running costs for producing such a plate were less than 0.25 Euro and the investment costs for the modified hardware were 630 Euro. This approach demonstrated not only the potential of the 3D printing environment in planar chromatography but also opened new avenues and new perspectives for tailor-made plates, not only with regard to layer materials and their combinations (gradient plates) but also with regard to different layer shapes and patterns. As such an example, separations on a printed plane layer were compared with those obtained from a printed channeled layer. For the latter, 40 channels were printed in parallel on a 10 cm × 10 cm format for the separation of 40 samples. For producing such a channeled plate, the running costs were below 0.04 Euro and the printing process took only 2 min. All modifications of the device and software were released open-source to encourage reuse and improvements and to stimulate the users to contribute to this technology. By this proof-of-principle, another asset was demonstrated to be integrated into the Office Chromatography concept, in which all relevant steps for online miniaturized planar chromatography are performed by a single device.

Economic savings for scientific free and open source technology: A review

“…These open source hardware economic values increased slightly to 89% for those that used Arduino technology and even more to 92% for those that used 3-D printing. It is well established that fabricating products with a distributed desktop 3-D printer result in lower costs for scientific equipment [1] , [2] , [4] , [29] , [31] , [32] , [33] , [34] , [35] , [36] , [37] . Similarly, automation with an Arduino is also known to reduce costs for a wide variety of experimental disciplines [1] , [2] , [4] , [38] , [39] , [40] , [41] , [42] , [43] .…”

Embracing Additive Manufacturing Technology through Fused Filament Fabrication for Antimicrobial with Enhanced Formulated Materials

“…Using this technique, the potential of 3D Printing of adsorbents for analytical chemistry was studied. The results supported the fast, inexpensive production of the layers, opening new pathways for novel planar chromatographic separations [3]. A study was conducted to develop a novel silica-titania-based 3D-printed material, resulting in increased use of optical performance materials [69].…”

3D printing for chemical, pharmaceutical and biological applications

“…17 Other demonstrations of planar chromatography have seen customisation of an extrusion printer with a silica slurry doser utilised to manufacture TLC plates, demonstrated by separation of a commercially available dye mixture. 18 Hollow nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy tube/spinner combinations out of NMR-transparent polyamide have also been printed using FDM. The entire build was carried out within an atmosphere-controlled glove box, with the build being paused allowing the reactants for a Sonogashira coupling to be encapsulated within.…”