Identification of phenyl-substituted polycyclic aromatic compounds in ring furnace gases using GC-MS and GC-AED

Summary The ring furnace baking process is an intermediate step in the production of graphite electrodes. In this process coal tar pitch is pyrolized to form amorphous carbon and volatile aromatic and polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs). These gaseous ring furnace emissions were analysed by GC-MS and GC-AED. As a result of the pyrolytic reactions taking place, several phenyl-substituted PACs are generated, which were identified by their chromatographic retention indices and mass spectra. Pure reference compounds were analysed for verification if available. A number of phenyl-PACs are reported to be present in coal tar-related material, including phenylpyridines and phenyldibenzofurans previously unreported. A formation scheme for phenyl-dibenzofurans on the basis of a radical mechanism is proposed. Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Meyer zu Reckendorf, Münster, on the occasion of his 65th birthday. Presented at the 21^st ISC held in Stuttgart, Germany, 15^th–20^th September, 1996     

Decomposition of multicomponent mass spectra using Bayesian probability theory

We present a method for the decomposition of the mass spectra of mixed gases using Bayesian probability theory. The method works without any calibration measurement and therefore applies also to the analysis of spectra containing unstable species. For the example of mixtures of three different hydrocarbon gases the algorithm provides concentrations and cracking coefficients of each mixture component and also their confidence intervals. The amount of information needed to obtain reliable results and its relation to the accuracy of our analysis are discussed.     

Study of pyrolysis and incineration of disposable plastics using combined TG/FT-IR technique

Thermogravimetric analysis (TG) provides information regarding mass changes in the sample resulting from heat treatment under controlled environment. However, it does not provide any chemical information regarding the gases evolved during the thermal degradation. Using FT-IR spectrometry in combination with TG, it is often possible to identify the evolved gases, and also monitor their evolution profiles during thermal degradation. In this study, we present the TG/FT-IR combined analysis of incineration and pyrolysis of some common plastics such as high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polystyrene (PS). This study demonstrates the utility of such combined analysis in providing useful information regarding the use of thermal treatment for recycling or incineration.     

Viscosities of carrier gases at gas chromatograph temperatures and pressures

Summary Equations are derived for viscosities of H₂, He, N₂ and Ar for use at chromatographic temperatures which are accurate to within 0.3% for H₂, and 0.1% for the other gases. The effect of pressure is usually negligible but may increase the viscosity of N₂ or Ar by as much as 0.5% at 25°C or lower and 5 atm or higher.     

A GC-system for the analysis of residual geothermal gases

Summary The gases evolved from geothermal fields, after condensation of H₂O, CO₂, H₂S and NH₃ in caustic solution, contain He, H₂, Ar, O₂, N₂, CH₄ and higher hydrocarbons. The analysis for the major components in these residual gas mixtures can be achieved by use of two simple gas chromatographs in parallel, and using 5Å molecular sieve. The separation of He and H₂ to baseline is achieved by using low temperatures (30°C) coupled with a relatively long column; and the difficult separation of Ar and O₂ is achieved by use of a cryogenically cooled column. The use of switching valves to backflush and bypass columns ensures that a minimum time for analysis can be achieved whilst retaining baseline separations of the He/H₂ and Ar/O₂ pairs.     

神木煤显微组分加氢热解的TG/MS研究

在TG-151热天平上考察了神木煤显微组分加氢热解的热重特性；用质谱对加氢热解气体进行了在线检测分析。结果表明，镜质组比惰质组有较高的挥发分收率和最大失重速率；较低的起始热解温度和热解峰温。镜质组有较高的C1～C4轻质烃类和C6～C8芳香烃类收率，原煤居中，惰质组最少；镜质组比惰质组有较高的水生成， 加氢热解过程中各种烃类和水的逸出都高于相应热解下的。     

Zirconium dioxide-based solid electrolyte as a means of oxidation of organic compounds during isotopic assay of carbon

It is demonstrated that a high-temperature electrochemical reactor on the basis of zirconium dioxide (0.9ZrO₂ · 0.1Y₂O₃) with platinum electrodes may be promising as a device for preparing samples of organic gases for isotopic assay of carbon. Owing to a high catalytic activity of the surface of a porous platinum coating, it is possible to realize full oxidation of organic gases to stoichiometric oxides at 900–950°C and an oxygen flux equivalent to an electric current of 100 μA and higher. The reproducibility of the results of isotopic assay is better than that yielded by a standard oxidation reactor. Use of the solid-electrolyte reactor in a new device as a sensor makes it possible to simultaneously measure the concentration of organic gases passing through the reactor on the basis of the charge transported by oxygen ions through the wall of a ceramic tube. Simultaneously one can monitor purity of the carrier gas. Original Russian Text ? V.S. Sevast’yanov, E.M. Galimov, N.E. Babulevich, A.A. Arzhannikov, 2007, published in Elektrokhimiya, 2007, Vol. 43, No. 4, pp. 472–478.     

Determining the vinyl alcohol distribution in poly(vinyl butyral) using normal-phase gradient polymer elution chromatography

The application of film-forming organic polymers, which are in common use in membrane technology, as chromatographic adsorbents for packed and capillary columns has been suggested. The chromatographic characteristics of poly[1-(trimethylsilyl)-1-propine] (PTMSP) as an adsorbent were studied. The film-forming properties of PTMSP simplify manufacturing of capillary and packed gas–solid columns. It was shown that separation of C₁–C₄ hydrocarbon gases on the columns with PTMSP is of practical interest. In the authors’ opinion, PTMSP is also promising for the separation of inorganic gases.     

Transport Properties of Simple Fluids from the Soft‐Core Double Yukawa Potential

The present work is concerned with checking a new and simple pair potential function (soft‐core double Yukawa potential) for noble gases by calculation of the transport properties. The viscosity, thermal conductivity and self diffusion coefficient in dilute gas limit in the temperature range of 298‐1400 K are calculated and agreement with the measurements is, in general, within the experimental error. A comparison of the calculated and experimental values of the viscosity, thermal conductivity and the diffusion coefficients yields an average absolute deviation of 0.5%, 1.5% and 1.2%, respectively. Also, the calculated transport properties from this potential have been compared with those calculations via the accurate experimental potential and also the corresponding state.     

The influence of the carrier gas on retention in capillary gas-solid chromatography

In capillary gas-solid chromatography where interactions between solute and carrier gas and adsorption of the solute on the surface of the adsorbent are considered to be imperfect, it has been shown that chromatographic retention is determined largely by adsorption processes. It has been established that correlation relationships k(P₂)=A k(P₁) + B, where k is the retention factor, and A and B are equation constants, was valid for use of different carrier gases P₁ and P₂. Column efficiency could be improved by use of carbon dioxide. The advantages of using carbon dioxide as the carrier gas were investigated.