Abstract: The present disclosure describes a field flow fractionator (FFF). In an embodiment, the FFF includes a spacer including a core, and a coating covering the core. In an embodiment, the FFF includes a spacer including a core, and a coating covering the core, a bottom block including pins, and a top block including mating holes to receive the pins, where the spacer is configured to be positioned between the top block and the bottom block. In an embodiment, the FFF includes a spacer including a core including an opening, a top side, and a bottom side, a first coating covering the top side, and a second coating covering the bottom side, a top block configured to press on the first coating along a first periphery of the opening, and a bottom block configured to press on the second coating along a second periphery of the opening.

Abstract: A continuous field flow fractionator includes a sample inject port, a frit inlet port, a first fraction outlet port, a second fraction outlet port, and a third fraction outlet port. A first flow out of the first fraction outlet port is configured to extract a sample-free solvent. A second flow out of the second fraction outlet port is configured to extract an increased concentration of small molecules of a sample. A third flow out of the third faction port is configured to extract a remainder of the sample.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a field flow fractionator including (1) a top plate assembly including (a) a first non-corrosive material, and (b) at least three fluid fittings machined (simpler) into the material, (2) a spacer, (3) a membrane, (4) a bottom plate assembly including (a) a second non-corrosive material, (b) a cavity machined into the second non-corrosive material, (c) a frit configured to be placed into the cavity, and (d) at least one bottom plate o-ring configured to seal the bottom plate assembly to the spacer, and (5) where the top plate assembly, the spacer, the membrane, and the bottom assembly define a separation channel. In an embodiment, the at least three fluid fittings including a fitting for an in-flow, a fitting for an out-flow, and a fitting for a cross-flow.

Abstract: An electrode for use in instruments capable of measuring the electrophoretic mobility of particles in solution is disclosed. The electrode is comprised of an inexpensive support member, generally made of titanium, onto a flat surface of which has been connected, generally by microwelding, a flat electrically conductive but chemically inert foil member, preferably platinum. A uniform texture can be generated on the exposed surfaces of the electrode by various means including tumbling the electrode with an abrasive. An oxide layer can be generated on the support member by soaking the composite electrode in an appropriate medium, protecting the exposed surface of the support member from fluid contact with the sample solution, while the foil member, unaffected by the oxidation process, is able to contact the sample solution.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method, a system, and a computer program product of analyzing data collected by analytical instruments. In an embodiment, the method, the system, and the computer program product include receiving set-up information, running at least one incomplete analytical method on at least one known sample on at least one analytical instrument with respect to the set-up information, resulting in known sample data, processing the at least one incomplete analytical method with respect to the known sample data, resulting in at least one validated analytical method, and running the at least one validated analytical method on at least one unknown sample on the at least one analytical instrument with respect to the set-up information, resulting in analyzed sample data.

Abstract: When measuring electrophoretic mobility it is customary to apply an electric field and determine the electrophoretic velocity while minimizing all other contributions to the particle movement. A method and apparatus for the measurement of mobility while the sample is flowing is disclosed. Combined with a fractionation system, this approach further enables the direct measurement of individual species' mobility within a multi-modal sample. Other advantages of this new mobility measurement approach include the ability to easily pressurize the sample to suppress electrolysis, mitigation of oxidation-reduction effects and efficient heat dissipation.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an apparatus and method of improving temperature uniformity and suppressing well plate warping. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes a barrier configured to be positioned above at least one well configured to contain a liquid sample, where a vessel includes the at least one well, where the vessel is transparent and is configured to be placed within a measurement chamber, where a light measurement apparatus includes the measurement chamber, where the light measurement apparatus is configured to measure light scattered from the liquid sample, where the barrier is configured to seal the at least one well from the measurement chamber, and a weighted lid configured to press a bottom surface of the vessel against a well plate retainer of the measurement chamber, thereby spreading heat among the at least one well and preventing the vessel from warping.

Abstract: An improved version of the capillary bridge viscometer that compensates for the effect of solvent compressibility is disclosed. A novel, yet simple and inexpensive modification to a conventional capillary bridge viscometer design can improve its ability to reject pump pulses by more than order of magnitude. This improves the data quality and allows for the use of less expensive pumps. A pulse compensation volume is added such that it transmits pressure to the differential pressure transducer without sample flowing there through. The pressure compensation volume enables the cancellation of the confounding effects of pump pulses in a capillary bridge viscometer.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a computer implemented method, a system, and a computer program product of determining intrinsic viscosity and Huggins constant of an unknown sample. In an embodiment, the method, system, and computer program product include, receiving specific viscosity values over time from a viscometer corresponding to a series of aliquots of an unknown sample injected into an instrument chain where the instrument chain includes the viscometer, calculating a total mass of each of the aliquots, calculating a first intermediate viscosity value of each of the aliquots, calculating a second intermediate viscosity value of each of the aliquots, and fitting the total mass, the first intermediate viscosity value, and the second intermediate viscosity value to a fitting, resulting in a calculated intrinsic viscosity of the unknown sample and a calculated Huggins constant of the unknown sample.

Abstract: The present invention an apparatus and method of injecting a liquid borne sample into a field flow fractionator and a method of forming a top plate and spacer. In an embodiment, the field flow fractionation unit includes a top plate including a sample injection inlet port, a sample injection outlet port, and a spacer including a separation channel cavity defining at least a portion of the separation channel, a sample injection inlet cavity configured to be in fluid contact with the separation channel and located substantially beneath the sample injection inlet port, a sample injection outlet cavity configured to be in fluid contact with the separation channel and located substantially beneath the sample injection outlet port, such that the injection inlet and outlet paths are configured to define an injection channel that is essentially perpendicular to the length of the separation channel spanning the width of the separation channel cavity.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a field flow fractionator including (1) a top plate assembly including a first non-corrosive material, at least three fluid fittings machined into the first non-corrosive material, a top cavity machined into the first non-corrosive material, and at least one top plate o-ring configured to form a horizontal geometry of a separation channel, (2) a membrane, (3) a bottom plate assembly including a second non-corrosive material, a bottom cavity machined into the second non-corrosive material, a frit configured to be placed into the bottom cavity, and at least one bottom plate o-ring configured to seal the bottom plate assembly to the top plate assembly, such that a top surface of the second non-corrosive material and a top surface of the frit are machined to be coplanar, and (4) where the top plate assembly, the membrane, and the bottom assembly define the separation channel.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method and apparatus of measuring dynamic light scattering of a sample. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes a platen, a light source underneath the platen and configured to emit emitted light through the platen and into the sample, collector optics underneath the platen and configured to capture scattered light, and an optical absorber configured to be in contact with the sample, configured to absorb transmitted light, and configured to redirect reflected light away from the collector optics. In an embodiment, the method includes depositing a sample on a platen, emitting emitted light from a light source underneath the platen through the platen and into the sample, capturing via collector optics underneath the platen scattered light, contacting the sample with an optical absorber, absorbing via the absorber transmitted light, and redirecting via the absorber reflected light away from the collector optics.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a computer implemented method, a system, and a computer program product of determining intrinsic viscosity and Huggins constant of an unknown sample. In an embodiment, the method, system, and computer program product include receiving concentration detector signal values over time from a concentration detector corresponding to a series of aliquots of an unknown sample injected into an instrument chain, receiving specific viscosity values over time from a viscometer corresponding to the series of aliquots, calculating a total mass of each of the aliquots, calculating a first intermediate viscosity value of each of the aliquots, calculating a second intermediate viscosity value of each of the aliquots, and fitting the total mass, the first intermediate viscosity value, and the second intermediate viscosity value to a fitting, resulting in a calculated intrinsic viscosity of the unknown sample and a calculated Huggins constant of the unknown sample.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an apparatus, method, and system of regulating a detector flow of a field flow fractionator. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes (1) a detector flow meter, where the detector flow meter is configured to measure a detector flow from the field flow fractionator, (2) a channel pressure meter, where the channel pressure meter is configured to measure a channel pressure of the field flow fractionator, (3) at least one control valve, where an inlet of the at least one control valve is connected to an outlet of the channel pressure meter, (4) where the detector flow meter is configured to set a channel pressure set point of the channel pressure meter, and (5) where the channel pressure meter is configured to actuate the at least one control valve to maintain a channel pressure of the field flow fractionator at the channel pressure set point.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an apparatus, method, and system of regulating a detector flow of a field flow fractionator. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes (1) a detector flow meter, where the detector flow meter is configured to measure a detector flow from the field flow fractionator, (2) a channel pressure meter, where the channel pressure meter is configured to measure a channel pressure of the field flow fractionator, (3) at least one control valve, where an inlet of the at least one control valve is connected to an outlet of the channel pressure meter, (4) where the detector flow meter is configured to set a channel pressure set point of the channel pressure meter, and (5) where the channel pressure meter is configured to actuate the at least one control valve to maintain a channel pressure of the field flow fractionator at the channel pressure set point.

Abstract: One or more homogenizing elements are employed in a flow through, multi-detector optical measurement system. The homogenizing elements correct for problems common to multi-detector flow-through systems such as peak tailing and non-uniform sample profile within the measurement cell. The homogenizing elements include coiled inlet tubing, a flow distributor near the inlet of the cell, and a flow distributor at the outlet of the cell. This homogenization of the sample mimics plug flow within the measurement cell and enables each detector to view the same sample composition in each individual corresponding viewed sample volume. This system is particularly beneficial when performing multiangle light scattering (MALS) measurements of narrow chromatographic peaks such as those produced by ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC).

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an apparatus of managing solvent associated with a field flow fractionator. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes (1) a union assembly coupled to a detector flow output from at least one detector coupled to a field flow fractionator, and (2) a recycle and waste assembly coupled to an output of the union assembly and a channel cross flow output of the field flow fractionator.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method, a system, and a computer program product of performing a separation on a field flow fractionator. In an embodiment, the method, the system, and the computer program product include executing, by a computer system, a set of logical operations measuring a mass flow control valve position of a control valve connected to a mass flow controller coupled to a field flow fractionator and a pressure control valve position of a control valve connected to a pressure controller coupled to the field fold fractionator in an optimal stability state, storing, by the computer system, the valve positions to a data store as preset values, and executing, by the computer system, a set of logical operations retrieving the preset values from the data store and setting initial conditions for the controllers corresponding to the preset values, resulting in a switch mode of the field flow fractionator.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a field flow fractionator including (1) a top plate assembly including (a) a first non-corrosive material, and (b) at least three fluid fittings machined (simpler) into the material, (2) a spacer, (3) a membrane, (4) a bottom plate assembly including (a) a second non-corrosive material, (b) a cavity machined into the second non-corrosive material, (c) a frit configured to be placed into the cavity, and (d) at least one bottom plate o-ring configured to seal the bottom plate assembly to the spacer, and (5) where the top plate assembly, the spacer, the membrane, and the bottom assembly define a separation channel. In an embodiment, the at least three fluid fittings including a fitting for an in-flow, a fitting for an out-flow, and a fitting for a cross-flow.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a field flow fractionator including (a) a top plate assembly including a top electrically conductive electrode, (b) an o-ring, (c) an electrically insulating frit, (d) an electrically insulating spacer between a bottom surface of the top electrode and the o-ring and the frit, (e) a membrane between the spacer and the frit, and (f) a bottom plate assembly including a bottom electrically conductive electrode.