A Review of MEMS-Based Micro Gas Chromatography Columns: Principles, Technologies, and Aerospace Applications
Source abstract
Abstract
Accurate gas analysis plays a critical role in aerospace missions, including spacecraft safety assurance, crew health monitoring, and deep-space scientific exploration. Although conventional gas chromatography (GC) techniques are well established, their large size, high power consumption, and long analysis time limit their applicability in modern aerospace missions that require miniaturized, low-power, and highly integrated analytical systems. The development of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology provides an effective pathway for the miniaturization of gas chromatography. MEMS-based micro gas chromatography columns enable the integration of meter-scale separation channels onto centimeter-scale chips through micro- and nanofabrication techniques, significantly reducing system volume and power consumption while improving analysis speed and integration capability. Compared with conventional GC systems, MEMS µGC exhibits clear advantages in size, weight, energy efficiency, and response time. This review systematically summarizes the fundamentals, structural designs, fabrication processes, and stationary phase preparation of MEMS micro gas chromatography columns. Representative aerospace application cases along with related experimental and engineering validation studies are highlighted; we re-evaluate these systems using Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) to distinguish flight heritage from concept demonstrations and propose a standardized validation roadmap for environmental reliability. In addition, key technical challenges for aerospace deployment are discussed. This work aims to provide a useful reference for the development of aerospace gas analysis systems and the engineering application of MEMS-based technologies.
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Research context
OpenAlex topics: Analytical Chemistry and Chromatography · Membrane Separation and Gas Transport · Adsorption, diffusion, and thermodynamic properties of materials
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing 100094, China
College of Mechanical & Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
Beijing Key Laboratory of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
National Key Laboratory of Human Factors Engineering, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing 100094, China
Funding
Fund of National Key Laboratory of Human Factors Engineering
References (98)
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