Use of vapor deposition coated flow paths for improved analytical analysis

1. A sample preparation device comprising wetted surfaces defining a fluidic path extending within an interior of the sample preparation device,

wherein a material forming the wetted surfaces of the fluidic path prior to coating is formed of a polymeric material, and

wherein at least a portion of the wetted surfaces of the fluidic path are coated with an alkylsilyl coating having Formula I:

wherein

R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are each independently selected from (C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy, —NH(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —N((C 1 -C 6 )alkyl) 2 , OH, OR A , and halo;

R A represents a point of attachment to the fluidic path;

at least one of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 is OR A ; and

X is (C 1 -C 20 )alkyl, —O[(CH 2 ) 2 O] 1-20 —, —(C 1 -C 10 )[NH(CO)NH(C 1 -C 10 )] 1-20 —, or —(C 1 -C 10 )[alkylphenyl(C 1 -C 10 )alkyl] 1-20 -.

2. The sample preparation device of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material comprises polyether ether ketone, polypropylene, or polyethylene.

3. The sample preparation device of claim 1 , wherein the alkylsilyl coating has a contact angle of at least 15°.

4. The sample preparation device of claim 3 , wherein the alkylsilyl coating has a contact angle of less than or equal to 60°.

5. The sample preparation device of claim 1 , wherein the alkylsilyl coating has a thickness of at least 100 Å.

6. The sample preparation device of claim 1 , wherein the alkylsilyl coating of Formula I is bis(trichlorosilyl)ethane or bis(trimethoxysilyl)ethane.

7. The sample preparation device of claim 1 , further comprising a second alkylsilyl coating in direct contact with the alkylsilyl coating of Formula I, the second alkylsilyl coating having Formula II:

wherein

R 7 , R 8 , and R 9 are each independently selected from —NH(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —N[(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl] 2 , (C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy, (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, (C 1 -C 6 )alkenyl, OH, and halo;

R 10 is selected from (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —OR B , —[O(C 1 -C 3 )alkyl] 1-10 O(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —[O(C 1 -C 3 )alkyl] 1-10 OH and phenyl, wherein said (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl is optionally substituted with one or more halo and wherein said phenyl is optionally substituted with one or more groups selected from (C 1 -C 3 )alkyl, hydroxyl, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, cyano, —C(O)NH 2 , and carboxyl;

R B is —(C 1 -C 3 )alkyloxirane, —(C 1 -C 3 )alkyl-3,4-epoxycyclohexyl, or —(C 1 -C 4 )alkylOH;

the hashed bond to R 10 represents an optional additional covalent bond between R 10 and the carbon bridging the silyl group to form an alkene, provided y is not 0; and

y is an integer from 0 to 20.

8. The sample preparation device of claim 7 , wherein the alkylsilyl coating of Formula II is (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane, n-decyltrichlorosilane, trimethylchlorosilane, trimethyldimethylaminosilane, methoxy-polyethyleneoxy(1-10) propyl trichlorosilane, or methoxy-polyethyleneoxy(1-10) propyl trimethoxysilane.

9. The sample preparation device of claim 8 , wherein the alkylsilyl coating of Formula II is (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane followed by hydrolysis.

10. The sample preparation device of claim 7 , wherein the alkylsilyl coating of Formula I and II provides a desired contact angle of about 5° to about 60°.

11. The sample preparation device of claim 7 , wherein the alkylsilyl coating of Formula I is bis(trichlorosilyl)ethane or bis(trimethoxysilyl)ethane and the alkylsilyl coating of Formula II is (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane.

12. The sample preparation device of claim 7 , wherein the alkylsilyl coating of Formula I is bis(trichlorosilyl)ethane or bis(trimethoxysilyl)ethane and the alkylsilyl coating of Formula II is (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane followed by hydrolysis.

13. The sample preparation device of claim 2 , wherein the wetted surfaces prior to coating include two or more different polymeric materials.