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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Development and evaluation of supercritical fluid chromatography/mass spectrometry for polar and high molecular weight coal components

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6230833

Scope of this program includes application of this instrumentation in support of synfuel process development. The high chromatographic resolution possible with fine (<75 ..mu..m ID) capillary column supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) is anticipated to allow the extension of high resolution mass spectrometry (MS) to the characterization of polar high molecular weight materials that cannot be separated by gas chromatography (GC). The program will involve the development of a new SFC/MS interface capable of allowing direct fluid injection (DFI) and supercritical fluid chromatographic introduction of a wide range of samples into the ion source of a double-focusing, high resolution mass spectrometer. The initial design for the interface has been completed, and the new ion source has been fabricated and successfully tested. Initial DFI experiments using nonpolar supercritical fluids, such as pentane and carbon dioxide, will commence following fabrication of the SFC/MS interface, currently under construction. The product of this program is expected to provide improved characterization of complex high molecular weight and polar fuel components, and to determine the feasibility of using SFC/MS or DFI/MS methods for on-line characterization of synfuel processes.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
6230833
Report Number(s):
PNL-SA-12298; CONF-840694-9; ON: DE85000827
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English