Application of piezoelectric Ru(III)/cryptand-coated quartz crystal gas chromatographic detector for olefins Original Research Article

A Ru(III)/cryptand-coated piezoelectric quartz crystal detection system with a home-made computer interface was prepared and applied as a gas chromatographic detector for olefins. The oscillating frequency of quartz crystal decreases due to the adsorption of organic molecules on the Ru(III)/cryptand coating. The home-made computer interface includes the digital counting system Altera and Intell-8255 data processing system. Software was written to control the interface and data acquisition. The detection system exhibited good selectivity and high sensitivity for olefins. The frequency shifts were in the order: 3-hexyne>cis-2-hexene>1-hexyne>trans-2-hexene>hexane. This means that these alkynes show greater adsorption on the Ru(III)/cryptand coating than alkenes and alkanes. Effects of temperature and interference of water were also investigated and discussed.