ABSTRACT
Pyrolyzers ...........................................................................39 2.4 Pyrolysis at Slow or Programmed Rates.......................................................40
2.4.1 Programmable Furnaces.....................................................................40 2.4.2 Resistively Heated Filaments at Slow Rates .....................................40
2.5 Off-Line Interfacing .......................................................................................41 2.6 Multistep Analyses.........................................................................................42
2.7 Autosamplers..................................................................................................43 2.7.1 Furnace Autosamplers........................................................................43 2.7.2 Curie-Point Autosamplers ..................................................................43 2.7.3 Resistive Heating Autosamplers ........................................................43
2.8 Sample Handling and Reproducibility ..........................................................44 2.8.1 Sample Size and Shape......................................................................44 2.8.2 Homogeneity ......................................................................................44
References................................................................................................................46
To perform an analysis by pyrolytic techniques in the laboratory, it is necessary to assemble a system that is capable of heating small samples to pyrolysis temperatures in a reproducible way, interfaced to an instrument capable of analyzing the pyrolysis fragments produced. This chapter will discuss the various methods available for the convenient pyrolysis of laboratory samples and some general considerations regarding the interface of such units to analytical instruments. In addition, concerns about sample preparation, experimental reproducibility, and sources of error will be discussed.
