Abstract:
Sol-gel beds and deposits are utilized for SERS analysis of liquid analytes. Measurements are made at multiple points along the length of a column or channel to increase, very significantly, the speed of analysis, and use of the same medium to both separate the chemicals and also for SERS greatly reduces the complexity of such apparatus and enhances the efficiency of the method.
Abstract:
Apparatus for use in effecting surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy comprises first and second containment means, the first containment means containing a known quantity of a reference chemical having an effective surface-enhanced Raman factor, and the second containment means containing a surface-enhanced Raman-active medium and being sufficiently transparent, at least at one optical access location, to permit both the excitation irradiation of, and also the collection of surface-enhanced Raman scattered radiation from, a common field of view of the surface-enhanced Raman-active medium. The apparatus is constructed for carrying out the method of the invention; i.e., for effecting intimate mixing, substantially prior to introduction to the surface-enhanced Raman-active medium contained in the second containment means, of the reference chemical with an analyte chemical-containing solution introduced through an entrance into the first containment means. The homogeneous test solution so formed permeates the SER-active material in the second containment means, which is irradiated at the common field of view so as to produce SER scattered radiation for collection and quantitative analysis.
Abstract:
Metal-doped sol-gel materials, suitable for use as sensors for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic analysis for trace chemical detection, are produced by effecting gelation and solvent removal of a doped sol-gel under mild temperature conditions. At least in certain instances reaction and drying will desirably be effected in an oxygen-starved environment. The metal of the sol-gel material functions, when irradiated, to produce a plasmon field for interaction with molecules of an analyte in contact therewith, increasing by orders of magnitude Raman photons that are generate by excitation radiation, and the method allows matching of the metal and metal particle size to a wavelength of light (or incident radiation, e.g., laser radiation) to generate surface plasmons. The porosity of the sol-gel material dramatically increases the surface area, and thereby the amount of metal exposed for analyte interaction. The sensors provided may be in the form of glass vials, fiber optics, multi-well micro-sample plates, etc., having surface coatings of the doped sol-gel material, to provide sampling systems for use in a Raman instrument.
Abstract:
The method and apparatus are used to determine class, grade and properties of fuel samples, regardless of ambient, instrument, or sample temperature, using mathematical correlations between fuel class, grade and properties and their spectra developed from a database of samples with measured properties and spectra. The ability to measure a fuel sample using the present method and apparatus is useful in identifying unknown fuel samples, determining suitability in equipment, and monitoring and controlling fuel processes, such as blending operations, distillation, and synthesis.
Abstract:
A stationary medium is employed both to separate chemicals from a sample solution and also to generate surface-enhanced Raman scattering, so that spectral analysis of the separated analyte chemical can be performed. Applied driving force causes the sample to flow into the stationary medium and to distribute therethrough, thereby causing rapid separation of the analyte chemical, and surface-enhanced Raman scattered radiation is quickly detected, at a plurality of locations along a flow path defined by the stationary medium, for ultimate analysis.
Abstract:
Sol-gel beds and deposits are utilized for SERS analysis of liquid analytes. The use of the same medium to both separate the chemicals and also for SERS greatly reduces the complexity of such apparatus and enhances the efficiency of the method.
Abstract:
The method and apparatus rapidly separate drugs and their metabolites from saliva and, in a continuous sequence of steps, rapidly detect, identify and quantify them through surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.
Abstract:
Sol-gel beds and deposits are utilized for SERS analysis of liquid analytes. Measurements are made at multiple points along the length of a column or channel to increase, very significantly, the speed of analysis, and use of the same medium to both separate the chemicals and also for SERS greatly reduces the complexity of such apparatus and enhances the efficiency of the method.
Abstract:
A process control method for controlling a polyolefin polymerization process, such as a solution polyethylene process, which includes five steps. The first step is to flow a stream of a solvent into a polyolefin reactor, such as flowing a stream of heptane solvent into the reactor at essentially a constant rate. The second step is to add a principal monomer to the stream of solvent, such as by adding ethylene at a controllable rate to the stream of solvent. The third step is to add a co-monomer to the stream of solvent, such as by adding 1-octene at a controllable rate to the stream of solvent. The fourth step is to determine the concentration of the principal monomer and the concentration of the co-monomer in the stream of solvent by high resolution multi-wavelength vibrational spectroscopy analysis, such as by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy system having a spectral resolution of 4 wavenumbers which analyzes at 1909 wavenumbers for ethylene, at 1829 wavenumbers for 1-octene and at 2120 wavenumbers for a reference signal. The fifth step is to control the rate of addition of the principal monomer, the rate of addition of the comonomer or preferably the rate of addition of both the principal monomer and the co-monomer according to the determination of the fourth step to obtain the desired concentration of ethylene and 1-octene in the solvent so that, for example, the density of the polyolefin product can be controlled.
Abstract:
A stationary medium is employed both to separate chemicals from a sample solution and also to generate surface-enhanced Raman scattering, so that spectral analysis of the separated analyte chemical can be performed. Applied driving force causes the sample to flow into the stationary medium and to distribute therethrough, thereby causing rapid separation of the analyte chemical, and surface-enhanced Raman scattered radiation is quickly detected, at a plurality of locations along a flow path defined by the stationary medium, for ultimate analysis.