Optimisation of a gas chromatographic method for trace gaseous impurities in nitrogen trifluoride by column sequence reversal

Highly reactive fluorinated gaseous matrices require special equipment and techniques for the gas chromatographic analysis of trace impurities in these gases. The impurities that were analysed at the low mg/L levels included dioxygen (O2), dinitrogen (N2), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). Carbon tetrafluoride (CF4) is also present in the product at levels of 20–400 mg/L and had to be analysed as well. This paper compares the use of a custom-built dual-channel gas chromatograph utilising single column back flush switching on one channel for the determination of O2, N2, CH4 and CO with column sequence reversal on a second channel for the determination of CO2, N2O, SF6 and CF4 to a similar system using a combination of dual-column back flush and heartcut configurations. Pulsed discharge helium ionisation detectors were used on both channels in both configurations.