Chromatography Flashcards
Definition of chromatography?
Chromatography is a physical method of separation in which the components to be separated are distributed between two phases, one of which is stationary (stationary phase) while the other (the mobile phase) moves in a definite direction
What are the intermolecular and inter ionic forces used in chromatography?
Ionic interactions
Van der Waals forces: dipole-dipole, dipole-induced dipole, induced dipole-induced dipole
Hydrogen bonding
Size exclusion - molecular sieving
How does chromatographic separation work?
Mixture of compounds is introduced as a narrow band at time t0 on top of the column into a continuously flowing mobile phase, components A and B are separated by differential distribution between the mobile phase and the stationary phase
How do you know which analyte has a higher affinity for the stationary phase?
The analyte that moves through the phase slower has the greater affinity for the stationary phase, the one that has the lower affinity for the stationary phase will be eluted quicker. Height of peak or peak area can be used for contraption, peak area will increase with increasing concentration
What is GC?
an cope only with substances that are volatile or can be evaporated intact at elevated temperatures from which volatile derivatives can be readily obtained (only about 20% of known organic compounds can be analysed by GC without prior treatment)
What is LC?
Main requirement: the sample must be dissolved in a solvent and apart from cross linked high molecular mass substances all organic and inorganic products satisfy this condition, as long as they can be dissolved in solution
How can something be made more suitable for GC?
Derivatisation, block functional groups and introduce new functionality so becomes more voltaic for GC
Retention?
For a single analyte A involved in transfer between mobile and stationary phases an equilibrium is reached as described with constant K
Why is one type of interaction needed in chromatography?
To be effective to maintain symmetrical Gaussian peaks need only one type of interaction, hence why columns are designed to utilise one type of interaction, if more than one type of interaction peaks will not be good
What is a linear isotherm?
If the distribution coefficient K is a constant independent of sample concentration since K = Cs/Cm a plot of Cs against Cm should be a straight line of slope K. This is called a linear isotherm as it is obtained at a single temperature, the peak resulting for an analyte obeying a linear relationship is symmetrical and Gaussian and can be described by the equation for the normal distribution - assume all molecules around each analyte interact in the same way
Broadening and peak splitting?
The narrower the peak is the higher it is, widening of the peak affects the height, this can occur due to diffusion. Peak splitting can take place due to more than one type of interaction
What does the chromatographic peak represent?
The chromatographic peak represents the frequency distribution of all molecules of a particular analyte as they move as a group through the system or as they are detected as they exit from the system
Where is the average molecule found in the distribution?
The average molecule is found at the centre of the distribution at the position of the peak maximum as it is this average position that is used to characterise the particular analyte
How is the distribution of a peak measured?
The distribution of a peak about its mean position is measured in terms of the peak variance (standard deviation squared) or standard deviation
Width at half height?
Wh = 2.354 standard deviation
Width at the base?
Wb = 4 standard deviation
What happens to the molecules when the distribution is Gaussian?
When the distribution is Gaussian, all analyte molecules migrate at the same time and the retention time is independent on sample size
Non linear isotherms?
Langmuir isotherm - peak tailing
Anti-Langmuir isotherm - peak fronting
Chemisorption isotherm
What is a Langmuir isotherm?
Peak shape tailing, the analyte molecules adsorb on the most active surface sites of stationary phase, therefore additional molecules cannot adsorb with the same strength, seen for reactions occurring on surface of the material
When is the Langmuir isotherms observed in adsorption systems?
Solute stationary phase interactions are strong and solute-solute interactions are relatively weak
A stationary phase having heterogeneous energy sites (free silanol groups Lewis acid sites on the surface of silica supports
What is an Anti-Langmuir isotherm?
Peak shape fronting, the analyte molecules which are the first to adsorb on the surface of stationary phase, facilitate the sorption of additional molecules