Influence of relative humidity on the properties of examined materials by means of inverse gas chromatography

Inverse gas chromatography (IGC) at infinite dilution was applied to evaluate the surface properties of sorbents and the effect of different carrier gas humidity. They were stored in different environmental humidity – 29%, 40%, and 80%. The dispersive components of the surface free energy of the zeolites and perlite were determined by Schulz-Lavielle method, whereas their tendency to undergo specific interactions was estimated basing on the electron donor–acceptor approach presented by Flour and Papirer. Surface parameters were used to monitor the changes of the properties caused by the humidity of the storage environment as well as of RH of carrier gas. The increase of humidity of storage environment caused a decrease of sorbents surface activity and increase the ability to specific interaction.

► IGC was used to assess surface properties of materials with complex structure.
► Influence of environmental humidity on studied zeolites and perlite were evaluated.
► Effect of different carrier gas humidity on the obtained parameters were studied.
► Humidity of the measurement environment influence the properties of the examined sorbents.