Simple, inexpensive mass spectrometric analyzer for thermogravimetry

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) is crucial for material characterization.
• Commercial mass spectrometer (MS) attachments for TGA are often expensive.
• There is a need for accessible and user-friendly TGA-MS solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and construct a low-cost mass spectrometer attachment for TGA.
• To evaluate the performance and usability of the developed TGA-MS system.
• To provide a cost-effective alternative to commercial TGA-MS instruments.

Main Methods:

• Assembly of a TGA-MS interface using readily available commercial instruments and components.
• Development of an open-source software package for semi-automated data analysis.
• Testing the system's sensitivity, repeatability, and signal reproducibility.

Main Results:

• Successful construction of a functional and affordable TGA-MS attachment.
• Demonstrated excellent mass-flow repeatability and high sensitivity for evolved gases.
• Achieved highly reproducible signal strengths with an intuitive GUI-based software.

Conclusions:

• The developed low-cost TGA-MS system is a viable and economical alternative.
• The system offers simplified data analysis and broad compatibility with various TGA instruments.
• This innovation lowers the barrier to entry for advanced material analysis using TGA-MS.