A surface ionization detector for gas chromatography:  use of a supersonic free jet

A new design of a gas chromatographic surface ionization detector (SID) based on hyperthermal positive surface ionization is described. There are two requirements:  use of a supersonic free jet nozzle and the high-work-function surface of rhenium oxide. This detector, which is sensitive in response to all the organics, can be operated as an universal detector with much higher sensitivity toward some species having low ionization energy but with selectivity to a lesser degree than that of a conventional SID. The minimum detectable amount (at S/N = 3) of pyrene is around 4.4 × 10(-)(13) g/s, with linearity greater than 10(6), while that of toluene is around 10(-)(12) g/s. Other unique properties are (1) the ability to control the degree of selectivity through molecular kinetic energy, the surface, and its temperature and (2) a very short response time.