Inverse Gas Chromatography

Inverse gas chromatography (iGC) is useful technique for the characterization of thermodynamic and transport properties of porous media. Theoretical framework for the description of processes inside chromatography columns is represented by the Van Deemter theory. However, this approach cannot sufficiently describe transport of ethylene in polyethylene particles, where the diffusion of ethylene proceeds not only in the pores but also in the amorphous phase of PE particles. Therefore we developed our own model of iGC transport dynamics based on the spatially three-dimensional reconstruction of column packing. The iGC apparatus (Fig. 1) was built in our laboratory. We also developed an algorithm for simulation of tracer propagation dynamics in spatially 3D reconstructed part of inverse gas chromatography column.