D.Phil. (Chemistry) / In order to optimise the parameters for graphite tubes used for electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry a good understanding of the factors that influence the efficiency of the atomisation process is necessary. The most important of these factors are the temperature surroundings of the analyte. Consequently, a model was developed to calculate the spatial and temporal variations of the wall temperature of the tube. Reliability of the calculations was ensured by determining some graphite parameters experimentally. Normal laboratory conditions could therefore be simulated precisely. There were some problems associated with the actual measurement of wall temperatures. After these had been investigated and solved, it was possible to correlate and verify the calculated temperat~re values with the experimentally measured ones. While it is likely that the analyte evaporates as such (or in modified forms) from the walls of the tube, the actual atomisation process most probably takes place in the gas phase. It is therefore the gas temperature that controls atomisation. In view of this a gas temperature model was developed by means of which spatial and temporal temperature data within the atomiser could be calculated. Together with the calculations of wall temperatures already mentioned, this presents for the first time the possibility of calculating temperatures, both spatially and temporally, at any point within the atomiser during the heating cycle. With the above information, the nature of atomisation processes can be studied. In this work, attempts were made to study the mechanism by which- the use of a platform placed within the atomiser eliminates interferences. Contrary to the literature, it was found that this can not be attributed to stabilized temperature surroundings.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:11663 |
| Date | 15 July 2014 |
| Creators | Rademeyer, Cornelius Johannes |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Johannesburg |
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