GC-MS for Catalysis, Combustion and Nanotechnology Research and Student Training

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A gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer (GC-MS) will be used in most of the research as well as for a module in a new chemical engineering laboratory course supporting improvement of the curriculum. In research, the system provides a substantial enhancement to the existing studies into chemical mechanisms in high-temperature hydrocarbon reaction systems and the development of novel diagnostics and reaction processes for these systems. Current projects that will use this equipment include catalytic combustion of methane and large hydrocarbons, higher hydrocarbon and soot production in flames, mechanisms for oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons, fuel processing reactions, structure-reactivity relationships for nanoporous materials and more recently growth of carbon nanotubes in flames and using catalytic template reactors. In all of these systems the complex product mix with multiple species at each mass requires a multidimensional analysis technique-a task for which the requested GC-MS system is well suited. Enhanced capabilities will include high scan rate for transient coupling studies, faster throughput, larger mass range and the ability to export data for analysis, plus dual MS detectors including both electron impact and chemical ionization. With the majority of students going on to graduate and professional schools, a large portion of the mission is exposing undergraduates to research. As part of the departmental development a new research laboratory course that will include modules in the laboratories of individual PIs is planned. The experiments using the proposed GC-MS would be appropriate for this course providing training in separation techniques, chemical kinetic analysis, quantitative methods and data analysis. The GC-MS would facilitate the incorporation of undergraduates into our research projects due to the ease of operation of the requested system and reasonably straightforward analysis.