TAKING GAS ANALYSIS OUT OF THE LAB AND ON THE ROAD

Gas analysis just got a lot less complicated. Apix Analytics’ multigas analysis system can determine the composition of a gas sample at the sample collection point and without the need for cumbersome lab equipment. The analysis is just as accurate as traditional lab testing, but at a dramatically lower cost.

Technology

Apix Analytics’ silicon-based labs-on-chip are much more compact than traditional lab testing equipment. The technology was invented by Leti and Caltech and is undergoing further development work at a joint Leti-Apix Analytics lab.

The labs feature a miniature chromatography column machined on silicon to separate the gases in the sample. The gases are then detected by nanoresonators that vibrate at a given frequency. The surface of each nanoresonator is covered with a chemical layer that promotes the adsorption of molecules. When the gas molecules are deposited onto the surface, the resonator’s mass increases, and its vibration frequency changes. This information is used to determine the concentration of each component in a gas sample. 

Apix Analytics is the first manufacturer to offer nanoresonator-based gas detection capabilities—crucial to ensuring sensitivity (down to parts per million or billion) and competitive cost.