Quantitative Analysis of Hydrogen Mass Fraction in Catalytically Reacted 1,4-Bis(phenylethynyl)benzene by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

1,4-Bis(phenylethynyl)benzene blended with an activated carbon-supported palladium catalyst (DEB-Pd/C) has been demonstrated as an effective hydrogen scavenger in reducing hydrogen gas accumulation within vacuum-sealed and hermetically closed systems. Accurate determination of the hydrogen mass fraction in reacted 1,4-bis(phenylethynyl)benzene is essential for guiding the replacement of hydrogen-absorbing materials. In this study, a novel method for determining the hydrogen mass fraction in reacted DEB was developed. First, the reaction products of DEB with hydrogen gas were isolated and characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A correlation between the peak areas of the reaction products and the saturation level of DEB was established. The hydrogen mass fraction in the reacted DEB was precisely determined based on the relationship between DEB saturation and hydrogen content. Furthermore, the effect of O₂ on the hydrogen uptake of DEB was investigated using the developed method. The results demonstrate that this method exhibits high detection sensitivity and accuracy for determining the hydrogen mass fraction in reacted DEB, offering a reliable approach for monitoring hydrogen absorption in such systems.