Chromatographic analysis and monitoring of fault gases in substation using ZIF-8 coated capillary column

作者：Hua Mao, Yan Wang, Jie Wang, Zeyao Ma, Yalong Xia, Xiaoliang Zeng, Shihong Hu, Xinsheng Lan, Fangqiang Wang, Lin Zhou, Xuewen Liu · 发表于：Frontiers in Chemistry · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.3389/fchem.2025.1618268 · 被引用次数：3 · 研究领域：Gas Sensing Nanomaterials and Sensors、Advanced Chemical Sensor Technologies、Analytical Chemistry and Sensors

This study developed a ZIF-8-coated capillary gas chromatography column for the efficient separation of critical fault gases in electrical substations. By optimizing the carrier gas flow rate (3.5 mL/min) and column temperature (40°C), baseline separation of all components was achieved within 12 min, with resolution values of 0.8 and 3.8 for C 3 H 6 /C 3 H 8 and C 2 H 4 /C 2 H 6 , respectively. The 3.4 Å molecular sieve pores of ZIF-8 preferentially retained larger hydrocarbons (e.g., C 4 H 10 ) via size-exclusion effects, while its hydrophobic surface minimized non-specific adsorption of polar molecules like CO 2 . The low polarity of methylimidazole ligands ensured selective retention of nonpolar and weak polar gases. Remarkable reproducibility was demonstrated by retention time relative standard deviations (RSD) < 0.08% across 11 consecutive injections, confirming the coating’s mechanical stability. Coupled with high-temperature resistance and rapid analysis capabilities, this column provides a reliable tool for real-time substation gas monitoring, enabling early warning of faults (e.g., arcing, overheating) and intelligent diagnostics of insulation degradation.