Inverse gas chromatography in characterization of surfactants

Inverse gas chromatography applications: a review

Inverse gas chromatography (IGC) is a versatile, powerful, sensitive and relatively fast technique for characterizing the physicochemical properties of materials. Due to its applicability in determining surface properties of solids in any form such as films, fibres and powders of both crystalline and amorphous structures, IGC became a popular technique for surface characterization, used extensively soon after its development. One of the most appealing features of IGC that led to its popularity among analytical scientists in early years was its similarity in principle to analytical gas chromatography (GC). The main aspect which distinguishes IGC experiments from conventional GC is the role of mobile and stationary phases. Contrary to conventional GC, the material under investigation is placed in the chromatographic column and a known probe vapour is used to provide information on the surface. In this review, information concerning the history, instrumentation and applications is discussed. Examples of the many experiments developed for IGC method are selected and described. Materials that have been analysed include polymers, pharmaceuticals, minerals, surfactants, and nanomaterials. The properties that can be determined using the IGC technique include enthalpy and entropy of sorption, surface energy (dispersive and specific components), work of co/adhesion, miscibility and solubility parameters, surface heterogeneity, glass transition temperature, and specific surface area.

Sucrose Derivative Surfactants Studied by Inverse Gas Chromatography

Specific retention volumes of 12 solvents were measured at different temperatures on columns containing sucrose monopalmitate as their stationary phase. The influences of the temperature, adsorption effect in interface gas-liquid, and carrier gas flow on the chromatographic retention were analyzed. Henry's constants were calculated and the solubilities in the surfactant were obtained. The results were analyzed by the combination of Flory-Huggins and Hildebrand theories, and the solubility parameter of surfactant was obtained at different temperatures. The relation between solubility parameter and hydrophile-lipophile balance was discussed. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.