LC-CollectIR

High Performance HPLC / GPC-FTIR Interface System

>> Winner of the PITTCON Gold Excellence Award 2023 <<

This groundbreaking instrument represents a revolutionary advancement, marking a new epoch in the field of coupling  Liquid Chroma-tography (LC) with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).

 

The LC-CollectIR system is an unique and powerful interface that couples LC with  FTIR.

 

It combines the separation power of liquid chromatography with the identification power of infrared spectroscopy. By using these two techniques together, it is possible to quickly and accurately identify and quantify compounds in complex mixtures.

The LC-CollectIR was developed by S.T.Japan Inc. and was first introduced on JASIS 2022 at Makuhari Messe in Japan.


Background


LC (Liquid Chromatography) and FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) are often used together in chemical analysis because they provide complementary information.

 

LC can be used to separate and identify components in a sample or a mixture, while FTIR can be used to identify the functional groups present in the sample.

 

This combination of techniques can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the sample composition.

Challenge


However, one problem associated with LC-FTIR is the difficulty in accurately identifying mixtures based on differences in retention time after separation by LC.

 

Retention time is the time it takes for a compound to travel through the LC column. Different compounds have different retention times, and this can cause problems in accurately identifying mixtures.

This is because the retention times of the components of the mixture may overlap and be indistinguishable from each other.

 

In addition, the peak shapes of the components of the mixture can be very similar, which can further complicate the identification process. Therefore, it can be difficult to accurately identify mixtures based on differences in retention time after separation by LC.


Solution


The new LC-CollectIR system developed by S.T. Japan Inc. has successfully met these challenges and provides a one-of-a-kind solution in the market This groundbreaking instrument represents a revolutionary advancement, marking a new epoch in the field of coupling LC with FTIR.

 

The LC-CollectIR system is an interface that enables efficient analysis of solute components from LC and GPC. It operates in two steps: first, it evaporates the eluent from HPLC and GPC to eliminate the solvent, and then it deposits the solute components onto a rotating Germanium (Ge) disc for easy and accurate measurement using FTIR. 

 

By combining the separation power of liquid chromatography with the identification power of infrared spectroscopy in a unique way the LC-CollectIR system allows for a quick and efficient way to study the composition of substances such as copolymers by separating the individual components of the mixture and then analyzing each component using FT-IR. Compared to the conventional preparative methods in this field, the LC-CollectIR reduces significantly time and cost and increases precision of measuring results dramatically.

 

 

Additionally, the Germanium disc used for FTIR analysis can be replaced with a disk that can mount a sample cup for pyrolysis GC/MS, and a dedicated software that enables stepwise rotation of the disk.

 

By combining LC-FTIR coupled with pyrolysis GC/MS, researchers can obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the functional groups present in each component, their chemical composition and structure of complex mixtures.

As preciously explained LC-FTIR is used to separate and identify individual components in a mixture, while FTIR spectroscopy provides molecular level information about the functional groups present in each component. However, LC-FTIR does not provide information about the chemical composition of the sample at the molecular level, so it is often combined with pyrolysis GC/MS.

 

Pyrolysis GC/MS is a thermal degradation technique that breaks down the sample into smaller, volatile fragments that can be analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry.

 

This technique provides detailed molecular level information about the chemical composition and structure of the sample, including the type and number of functional groups present.

Coupling LC-FTIR with pyrolysis GC/MS provides a powerful analytical tool for the quick and accurate characterization of complex mixtures, making it useful in a wide range of applications, including the analysis of polymers, food, and environmental samples.

Download
Application Note
LC-CollectIR with Pyrolysis GC-MS Attachment - Analysis of Polymers by GPC and LC-CollectIR
New LC-CollectIR with Pyrolysis GC-MS At
Adobe Acrobat Document 668.5 KB

Application Examples


  • Separation of mixture and simple and rapid structural analysis of each component
  • Studying the change in composition of copolymer in molecular weight distribution to gain insight into how the copolymer behaves and what properties it may have.
  • Microstructure analysis and discrimination of mixture system of resin
  • Estimating the terminal end and internal structure of resin. This information can be used to optimize the resin's performance in various applications or to design new resins with specific properties.
  • Interface of pyrolysis GC/MS