Devices and methods of use thereof

A method for the preparation of a sample in a continuous flow device, the continuous flow device comprising:

• a sample conduit providing a path for continuous fluid flow from a sample inlet to a sample outlet;
• a thermal housing enclosing the sample conduit, wherein the thermal housing comprises a plurality of measurement regions;
• a detector configured to capture a spectroscopic signal from the sample conduit at one of more of the plurality of measurement regions;
• and
• a motorized stage translatable along the thermal housing from a first location to a second location;
• wherein the detector is coupled to the motorized stage such that the motorized stage is configured to translate the detector along the thermal housing to align the detector with one or more of the plurality of measurement regions;
• the method comprising:
• a. contacting an amount of a first precursor with an amount of a second precursor thereby forming a fluid precursor sample;
• b. injecting the fluid precursor sample at a first flow rate into the sample inlet of the continuous flow device while the thermal housing has a first temperature;
• c. continuously flowing the fluid precursor sample from the sample inlet to the sample outlet, wherein the first precursor reacts with the second precursor as the fluid precursor sample flows from the sample inlet to the sample outlet to form the sample before reaching the sample outlet;
• d. capturing a spectroscopic signal from the sample within the sample conduit at a first measurement region;
• e. analyzing the spectroscopic signal to determine a property of the sample;
• f. comparing the spectroscopic signal and/or the property to an input parameter;
• g. when the input parameter is different than the spectroscopic signal and/or the property, then:
• translating the motorized stage along the thermal housing to a second measurement region and repeating steps d-f at the second measurement region;
• adjusting the amount of the first precursor, the amount of the second precursor, the temperature of the thermal housing, the first flow rate, or a combination thereof, and repeating steps a-f;
• or a combination thereof;
• and
• h. when the input parameter and the spectroscopic signal and/or the property are the same, then:
• collecting the sample at the sample outlet.