GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY OF TITANS ATMOSPHERE .7. ANALYSIS OF LOW-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT HYDROCARBONS AND NITRILES WITH CYANOPROPYLPHENYL DIMETHYL POLYSILOXANE CAPILLARY COLUMNS

Commercial capillary columns having different bonded cyanopropylphenyl /dimerhyl polysiloxane ratios were studied for the gas chromatographic (GC) separation of low molecular weight nitriles, saturated and unsat urated hydrocarbons, which are plausible constituents of Titan's atmos phere. Columns having different diameters and film thicknesses were co mpared in terms of plate height. The data presented show that the colu mns of small internal diameter coated with a thin stationary phase fil m provide the best efficiency for the shortest analysis time. These co lumns are compatible with the requirements of space instrumentation.