GC017 Retention Factor
The
retention factor, k, is the ratio of the mass of solute (not its concentration)
in the stationary phase to the mass in the mobile phase:
The
retention factor is measured experimentally as the ratio of the adjusted retention
time, t′R, to the gas hold‐up time tM
The larger
the value of k, the longer the solute will be retained in the column. The
relevance of this factor is that can be obtained easily from the chromatogram.
The
retention factor and the distribution constant are related through the phase
ratio (beta). Kc can be broken down into two terms:
Kc equals
the product of the retention factor and the phase ratio
In formula:
Kc = k x beta
Beta is defined
as the ratio between the volume of the mobile phase (VM) and the stationary
phase (Vs). In formula
Beta = Vm /
Vs
For capillary
columns, with a known value of film thickness (df), beta is given by:
Beta equals
the square difference between the radius of the capillary column (rc) and the
film thickness (df) divided by 2 times the radius of the capillary column times
the film thickness.
Most of the
time, rc is much greater than df, and we can make:
Beta equals
the radius of the capillary column (rc) divided by 2 times the film thickness
(df).
Capillary
columns have values of beta in the hundreds, and are about ten times higher
than the values for packed columns. Beta cannot be easily calculated for packed
columns. The parameter phase volume ratio is helpful in selecting a proper
column.
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