| Abstract: | In analogy to the focusing effective in capillary GC, performed with temperature programming but also with sectional cooling of the column inlet as in multidimensional capillary GC, peak focusing can easily be attained in SFC by adjustment of the mobile phase pressure as well as the column temperature. This may be of practical use in connection with sampling techniques giving poor, i.e. broad and unsymmetrical, peak shapes. Such disturbances may occur, for example, in time controlled valve sampling over longer switching times. Generally, all other negative influences on peak shape can be suppressed or compensated by trapping within the column inlet. Special trapping devices and “retention gaps” may also be coupled to the column inlet in order to create narrow starting plug widths. Positive pressure (density) and negative temperature programs give rise to peak compression besides the increase of peak capacity of the separation. |
