Approaches to characterise chromatographic column performance based on global parameters accounting for peak broadening and skewness

Peak broadening and skewness are fundamental parameters in chromatography, since they affect the resolution capability of a chromatographic column. A common practice to characterise chromatographic columns is to estimate the efficiency and asymmetry factor for the peaks of one or more solutes eluted at selected experimental conditions. This has the drawback that the extra-column contributions to the peak variance and skewness make the peak shape parameters depend on the retention time. We propose and discuss here the use of several approaches that allow the estimation of global parameters (non-dependent on the retention time) to describe the column performance. The global parameters arise from different linear relationships that can be established between the peak variance, standard deviation, or half-widths with the retention time. Some of them describe exclusively the column contribution to the peak broadening, whereas others consider the extra-column effects also. The estimation of peak skewness was also possible for the approaches based on the half-widths. The proposed approaches were applied to the characterisation of different columns (Spherisorb, Zorbax SB, Zorbax Eclipse, Kromasil, Chromolith, X-Terra and Inertsil), using the chromatographic data obtained for several diuretics and basic drugs (β-blockers).     

Characterization of warfarin unusual peak profiles on oligoproline chiral high performance liquid chromatography columns

Unusual peak profiles of warfarin were characterized on two oligoproline chiral stationary phases (CSPs). The pattern of 1st peak (S(−)) broadening and the 2nd peak (R(+)) compression was observed under mobile phase of hexane (0.1% TFA)/2-propanol (IPA) on a triproline CSP 1, and with other alcohol modifier such as ethanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol, 2-butanol, and tert-butanol as well. Through analyzing system peak of additives, the unusual peak profile was interpreted by perturbation of TFA additive system peak. The unusual peak profile was also found in enantioseparation of coumachlor and on a covalently bonded doubly tethered diproline CSP 2. The pattern of 1st peak (S(−)) broadening and the 2nd peak (R(+)) compression can change to pattern of 1st peak compression and the 2nd peak broadening from 15 to 50 °C. Chiral separation of warfarin created nonlinear van’t Hoff plots on CSP. No peak broadening/compression were observed with methyl tertiary butyl ether or ethyl acetate as the modifier. The peak shapes of the two warfarin enantiomers can thus be tuned by varying alcohol concentration and column temperature. High separation factor and resolution may be carried out to tune the peak profiles into Langmuir/anti-Langmuir band-shape composition. Using none hydrogen donor modifier may avoid interference of the TFA system peak.     

Polyurethane/polystyrene one-shot interpenetrating polymer networks with good damping ability: Transition broadening through crosslinking,internetwork grafting and compatibilization

Good damping materials should exhibit a high loss factor value over a broad temperature range. Polyurethane and polystyrene are highly immiscible polymers with glass transition regions far apart. The interpenetrating polymer network topology can restrict phase separation and result in materials with a broad transition region. Simultaneous polyurethane/polystyrene interpenetrating polymer networks were synthesized by the one-shot route. Different methods of improving the miscibility of the two polymers were investigated. These included the vanation of the crosslink level in both polymer networks, the controlled introduction of internetwork grafting and the incorporation of compatibilizers into the polystyrene network. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis indicated that the latter two were successful in achieving a compatibilization of the polymer components. With some materials, a high, broad transition region exhibiting a loss factor > 0.3 over more than 135°C was obtained. The morphology observed via transmission electron microscopy ranged from macrophase separated materials in the lightly crosslinked IPNs to a fine, microheterogeneous morphology in the grafted ones. Modulated differential scanning calorimetry measurements confirmed the trend of the glass transition locations observed with dynamic mechanical thermal analysis.     

微型计算机微波辐照效应的实验研究

 微波辐照频率为1.2~2.0 GHz时,利用宽带天线对微型计算机主板进行微波辐照,考察了微波辐照载波频率、调制方式和调制深度对微波辐照效应的影响,得到了计算机分别处于满负荷工作、内存读写操作、磁盘读写操作和系统空闲4种工作状态下的微波辐照干扰功率阈值。实验结果表明：微波辐照的载波频率为1.47 GHz时,辐照干扰功率阈值最低,为32.7 dBm,计算机最易被干扰;瞬时功率是干扰微型计算机的关键参数,调制方式、调制频率和深度对微波辐照干扰功率阈值影响不大;处于高负荷工作状态的微型计算机更易于被微波辐射干扰;计算机启动的干扰功率阈值为32.0 dBm,小于正常工作状态时的阈值。     

Determination of the local electron number density in laser-induced plasmas by Stark-broadened profiles of spectral lines: Comparative results from Hα, Fe I and Si II lines

Measurements of the local electron density in laser-induced plasma have been carried out from the Stark-broadened profiles of three reference lines (H_α, Fe I and Si II). The plasma has been generated from a Fe–Si sample in air using a Nd:YAG laser. Compatible values of the local electron density have been obtained from the three lines. The experiment is based on the use of an imaging spectrometer, the capability for spatial resolution of a charge-coupled device and the application of a spatial deconvolution procedure to the spectra. Distributions of the emission coefficient have been obtained, showing that the three lines are emitted from different regions of the plasma. The implications in the apparent electron density values obtained in spatially-integrated measurements are discussed: similar values are obtained for the H_α and Si II lines, while the Fe I line leads to a 25% lower value.     

Performance evaluation of ion‐exchange chromatography in capillary format

The performance of a recently introduced capillary ion‐exchange chromatography system was explored. Experiments were conducted in isocratic mode with a commercial capillary anion‐exchange column (id = 0.4 mm, L = 15 cm) using a five‐anion standard mixture. The achieved results were compared to the performance of a standard bore ion‐exchange system (id = 4 mm, L = 15 cm), which was considered as a reference. The first‐generation capillary columns exhibited a minimal reduced plate‐height value below two witnessing a good packing quality and system performance. However, compared to the standard bore system the capillary system displayed an increased apparent C‐term which could be due to a difference in packing morphology and/or possible external band‐broadening contributions. For fast separations, the standard bore system outperformed the capillary system, while for complex separations both systems performed nearly equally well. In addition, the retention characteristics of the capillary system were investigated. To illustrate the suitability of the capillary system, the analysis of real‐world water samples originating from two local Belgian rivers was demonstrated.     

External electric field induced modulation instability of an electromagnetic beam in two-photon photorefractive materials

The modulation instability of a broad electromagnetic beam in a biased two-photon photovoltaic photorefractive material, due to two-photon-photorefractive effect has been investigated. The one-dimensional modulation instability growth rate has been estimated under the linear stability framework. The behavior of the gain spectrum is different in low and high power regions. It has been predicted that, with the application of external electric field, it is possible to initiate and control growth of the instability in those media, where modulation instability was hitherto prohibited. The influence of different system parameters on the instability growth rate has been examined.     

Experimental and theoretical study of N2-broadened acetylene line parameters in the ν1 + ν3 band over a range of temperatures

N₂-broadened line widths and N₂-pressure induced line shifts have been measured for transitions in the ν₁?+?ν₃ band of acetylene at seven temperatures in the range 213–333?K to obtain the temperature dependences of broadening and shift coefficients. For the room-temperature spectra the line mixing effects have been also investigated. The Voigt and hard-collision line profile models were used to retrieve the line parameters. All spectra were recorded using a 3-channel tuneable diode laser spectrometer. The line-broadening and line-shifting coefficients as well as their temperature-dependence parameters have been also evaluated theoretically, in the frame of a semi-classical approach based on an exponential representation of the scattering operator, an intermolecular potential composed of electrostatic quadrupole–quadrupole and pairwise atom–atom interactions as well as on exact trajectories driven by an effective isotropic potential.     

Chemical analysis using coincidence Doppler broadening and supporting first-principles theory: Applications to vacancy defects in compound semiconductors

The Doppler broadening of the positron annihilation radiation contains information on the chemical environment of vacancy defects trapping positrons in solids. The measured signal can, for instance, reveal impurity atoms situated next to vacancies. As compared to integrated quantities such as the positron annihilation rate or the annihilation line shape parameters, the full Doppler spectrum measured in the coincidence mode contains much more useful information for defect identification. This information, however, is indirect and complementary understanding is needed to fully interpret the results. First-principles calculations are a valuable tool in the analysis of measured spectra. One can construct an atomic-scale model for a given candidate defect, calculate from first principles the corresponding Doppler spectrum, and directly compare results between experiment and theory. In this paper we discuss recent examples of successful combinations of coincidence Doppler broadening measurements and supporting first-principles calculations. These demonstrate the predictive power of state-of-the-art calculations and the usefulness of such an approach in the chemical analysis of vacancy defects.