TCDuino: Development of an Inexpensive Microcontroller-Based Thermal Conductivity Detector for Quantification of Gas Mixtures

• Bradley A. Owen ^[1] ; Nicholas C. Starvaggi ^[1] ; Taylor I. Mensah ^[1] ; Isaac N. Mills ^[1]
  1. [1] Mount St. Mary’s University, United States
• Localización: Journal of chemical education, ISSN 0021-9584, Vol. 97, Nº 5, 2020, págs. 1504-1507
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Thermal conductivity is generally the tool of choice for quantification of fixed gases, particularly lighter-than-air gases. Unfortunately, gas chromatography-thermal conductivity detectors (GC-TCDs) are difficult to introduce in first- and second-year chemistry courses where the cost and number of instruments, as well as the space required, is impractical. In this article, the authors describe the development of a small, inexpensive microcontroller-based TCD for undergraduate teaching and research laboratory experiments which utilizes a matched pellistor pair to quantify hydrogen. The total cost of materials is under $200, including the microcontroller, electronics, TCD pellistor pair, and the mechanical parts which serve as the housing and analysis chamber.