SBIR Phase I: A universal carbon detector for liquid phase chemical detection of organic molecules

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will research and develop a universal carbon detector for liquid chromatography using flame ionization detection. The commercialization of this innovation is a product that will allow scientists to measure compounds with greater ease and accuracy, and drastically simplify the number and types of detectors required in liquid chromatography. The broader impacts of this product include faster drug and product development, more accurate purity analysis, better environmental sampling and more efficient research in many market sectors where liquid chromatography is used. The proposed activity will result in a product that competes in the $500M UV detector market, offering universal carbon detection without the need for a chromophore and linear detector response. The intellectual merit of this project is the development of a low-cost, universal detector that is capable of responding to nearly all organic molecules with high sensitivity and linearity. Previous attempts to utilize the flame ionization detector have failed because of the lack of technologies necessary for the complete vaporization of analytes and removal of organic solvents. We have identified an oxidation-reduction microreactor that converts all organic molecules to methane vapors. We anticipate the proposed detector will have a sensitivity on-par with flame ionization detectors in gas chromatography. The technology would bring unparalleled molecular quantification to a wide variety of industries including pharmaceuticals, biofuels, environmental testing, chemicals and foods.