Sub-microlitre permittivity detectors for high-performance liquid chromatography

Abstract

A theoretical model is developed for the response of permittivity detectors working at radiofrequency for h.p.l.c. applications. Three types of cell were tested: a coil cell, a parallel-ring cell and a two-wire intrusive cell. All offer small cell volumes (ca. 700 nl for the coil cell, 9 nl for the parallel-ring cell and 40 nl for the intrusive two-wire cell). The last cell, with a 20-MHz Franklin oscillator, is shown to be most useful for conventional and microbore h.p.l.c., offering low instrument noise and reasonable sensitivity. The model is shown qualitatively to describe the observed response well. The coil cell also offers the possibility of monitoring conductivity changes in electrolyte solutions through frequency-change measurements. The theoretical response function indicates that the oscillator frequency is proportional to the square root of the eluate conductivity.