Netzsch, in collaboration with Joint Analytical Systems (JAS), has produced a new method for the analysis of complex reactions, through coupling a thermobalance (TGA) to a gas chromatograph (GC).
Reaction gases from the TGA are fed directly into the GC valve box by means of a heated transfer line.
Via a sample loop, the substances then arrive at the GC column, where they are separated and then analysed by means of a mass-selective detector.
What sets the new system apart is the fact that the start of the measurement is event-driven.
This enables temperature-correlated detection of the substances released, which in turn allows for direct correlation with mass loss steps.
By comparison, in other systems where TGA is coupled to GC, the reaction gases are usually bound in their entirety to an adsorber and only defined once the thermogravimetric analysis is complete.
The disadvantage of such a system is that it does not allow for any conclusions to be drawn with reference to the time of the release of the compound.
