Replacement fluids decomposition

Downstream of the thermal processor is an in-line analytical system capable of cryogenic trapping, separation, and detection of thermal decomposition products. For the replacement fluids, the thermal decomposition products were trapped using liquid nitrogen coolant at the head of a capillary GC column housed within an HP 5890 GC, The GC was then used to separate the products, and detection was accomplished using an HP 5970B mass selective detector (MSD). The MSD is a compact quadrupole mass spectrometer which permits analytes to be identified via their fragmentation patterns and quantified via peak areas. 

A. J. Balard,9 in 1821, also prepared hypobromous acid in a similar manner, namely, by the gradual addition of mercuric oxide of bromine water, and thoroughly shaking the mixture after each addition. Further, quantities of bromine and mercuric oxide can be added until the yellow fluid contains between 6 and 7 parts of HOBr per 100 c.c. The mercuric oxide can be replaced by silver oxide, silver or mercuric nitrate, mercuric acetate, etc. The soln. with 6-7 parts of HOBr per 100 c.c. decomposes at 30°, but more dil. soln. when distilled under ordinary atm. press, give a distillate of bromine followed by a straw-yellow fraction which is a dil. aq. soln. of hypobromous acid. The decomposition is not so pronounced if it be conducted at 40° under a press, of, say, 50 mm. of mercury. 

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