Paper VT-TuA11
Quantitative Gas Analysis of Small Batch Samples by Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer

Tuesday, November 11, 2014, 5:40 pm, Room 303

In our studies of static gas release properties of various solid materials at low temperatures ranging from 25 to 80 °C, we find the amounts of gas collected from the experimental samples in sealed vacuum vessels over extended times (weeks to months) are only a few to less than 100 torrs in a free volume of 10 - 50 cc. In order to analyze these small batch gas samples, a quantitative method was developed using a quadrupole mass spectrometer. This method involves introducing a small pulse of the gas with a custom-designed sample manifold into a quadrupole mass spectrometer and analyzing the gas component quantity in a few seconds. The method is relatively quick and is particularly suitable for gas components that have low sticking coefficients to stainless steel surfaces. This method was evaluated for hydrogen, methane, and argon. In this presentation, the setup, the calibration and measurement procedures, and the performance of the method are presented and discussed.