Automation photometer of Hitachi U-2000 spectrophotometer with RS-232C-based computer

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Spectroscopy
• Computer Interfacing

Background:

• Spectrophotometers like the Hitachi U2000 are crucial for chemical analysis.
• Direct computer interfacing of such instruments can enhance data handling and analysis.
• Existing methods may lack cost-effectiveness or ease of implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the interfacing of a Hitachi U2000 spectrophotometer to an IBM compatible computer.
• To present the design of custom hardware and C programming language software for data acquisition.
• To demonstrate the system's efficacy through experimental spectral analysis and data transformation.

Main Methods:

• Hardware modification of readily available materials for RS-232C port interfacing.
• Software development using the C programming language for data acquisition and control.
• Experimental validation using the visible spectrum of a cyanine dye.
• Data plotting and transformation to a wavenumber scale using custom C modules.

Main Results:

• Successful interfacing of the Hitachi U2000 spectrophotometer with a personal computer.
• Generation of spectral data for a cyanine dye, plotted via a computer-connected printer.
• Capability to transform spectral data to the wavenumber scale using developed software modules.
• Calculation of the overall efficiency of the developed interfacing system.

Conclusions:

• The described method provides an effective and potentially cost-efficient way to interface a Hitachi U2000 spectrophotometer with a computer.
• The developed hardware and software facilitate automated data acquisition and spectral analysis.
• This approach enhances the utility of standard spectrophotometers in research and analytical laboratories.