Ir compatible deposition surface for liquid chromatography

Apparatus for continuous collection and recording of LC effluent components, comprising

• an outlet for discharging effluent from a liquid chromatograph,
• a plate having a planar IR reflective front surface and a substantially IR transparent deposition surface inert to the LC effluent elevated above said planar front surface and parallel thereto,
• a plate mounting support oriented so that said deposition surface is horizontally disposed beneath said outlet, and
• a drive mechanism imparting relative motion between said outlet and said plate to define a continuous predetermined sample track on the deposition surface of said plate such that effluent is deposited on the deposition surface to form a record of separated components along a continuous sample track for analysis by IR spectroscopy, said plate including a germanium layer providing said deposition surface.

Apparatus for collection of LC effluent components, comprising

• a medium having a planar IR reflective front surface and an IR transparent deposition surface inert to the LC effluents elevated above and parallel to said IR reflective front surface,
• a nebulizer for nebulizing the effluent from the column,
• an outlet for discharging nebulized effluent toward said deposition surface, and
• a heating system for controllably heating the nebulized effluent as it is discharged from said outlet means to promote solvent evaporation, said heating system including
• a controller to vary the amount of heating of said discharged effluent in relation to the proportions of solvent components of differing volatility to accommodate respectively differing heats of vaporization.

Apparatus for collection of LC effluent components, comprising

• a medium having a planar IR reflective front surface and an IR transparent deposition surface inert to the LC effluents elevated above and parallel to said IR reflective front surface,
• a nebulizer for nebulizing the effluent from the column,
• an outlet for discharging nebulized effluent toward said deposition surface, and
• a heating system for controllably heating the nebulized effluent as it is discharged from said outlet means to promote solvent evaporation,
• said outlet including a nozzle, and said nebulizer including means for mixing the effluent from the column with a pressurized inert gas and passing the mixture through the nozzle.