Novel UV-Visible Detector for In-Line Flow Chemistry 

Uniqsis Ltd has introduced Flow-UV™, an affordable in-line UV-Visible spectrophotometric detector for flow chemistry applications.

Designed for use with almost any commercial flow chemistry system, the compact Flow-UV™ detector (18 x18 x 17cm) fits conveniently into even crowded fume cupboards. Using the UV-visible absorbance data from a Flow-UV™ detector allows dispersion experiments to be monitored in real time and enables product collection to be controlled according to the onset and decline of steady state conditions.

With no moving parts the Flow-UV™ 3648 pixel CCD array detector does not require calibration or routine servicing. In contrast to conventional Deuterium UV lamps, the Xenon flash lamp source used in the Flow-UV™ has a lifetime of up to 10 years.

Fibre optic waveguides connect the high pressure Flow-UV™ flow cell to the source and detector thereby permitting the flow cell to be positioned virtually anywhere in the flow path. The flow cell itself utilises a short length of PFA reactor tubing and is therefore not restricted to being located after the outlet back pressure regulator in the low pressure region of the flow path where outgassing can be problematic.

Flow-UV™ is extremely easy-to-use. Having previously set up and saved a method, pressing a single button is all that is required to start acquisition.

To assure linearity of response, Flow-UV™ offer you the ability to select up to 5 wavelengths over which to monitor a reaction thereby ensuring detector saturation is avoided. Absorbance is plotted against time using the system control software. The control software may be configured to automatically record a background spectrum at the beginning of each experiment.