Categories of exhibits
GC/MS interface
Exhibit no. 444
The GC/MS interface is a device for transporting the effluent from the gas chromatography column to the mass spectrometer. For capillary columns, the exit end of the column is inserted directly into the ion source. The capillary column between the GC and the ion source must be heated to eliminate cold spots where analytes could condense. The interface temperature is set above the boiling point of the highest-boiling component of the sample.
The exhibit is a GC/MS interface from the MD 800 single quadrupole detector manufactured by Fisons in 1992. It consists of a piece of 1/8" O.D. glass lined stainless steel tube with a 0.8 mm internal bore. The capillary column was placed inside the tube and a vacuum-tight seal was made with fitting inside the GC oven. This tube was inserted inside a second larger tube, which was fitted with a thermocouple and spirally wound heater. The heating element was supplied with 28 V DC. To insulate the hot components from the user, an outer stainless steel tube formed a vacuum housing around the interface.
