Question

Thermal mismatch between incoming mobile phase and the column temperature can lead to a decrease in separation performance – explain why.

Answer 1

Thermal mismatch means there is temperature difference between column and mobile phase. As we know diffusion is temperature dependent, here also diffusion will play the major role. If column temperature is higher than mobile phase then diffusion of analytes will be much more faster than expected . So all the components in the mixture will come out of the column at almost same time. This will decrease the separation performance.

Similarly if temperature of column is less than mobile phase then analyte diffusion rates will be very less so that there diffusion rate will be almost same relatively. Thus the ability to separate the mixture will decrease.

So we can say how the temperature difference decreases the ability of a column to separate mixtures.

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