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Carbon based Columns
Carbon-based HPLC columns are made of 100% porous graphitic carbon (PGC) and utilise the unique properties of graphitised carbon for exceptional selectivity in the separation of a wide range of chemical compounds. These columns are chemically inert and compatible with a wide range of solvents, making them ideal for analysing polar, planar and lipophilic compounds. Their robustness against extreme pH values and temperatures extends the range of applications in analysis.
Carbon-based packing materials are characterised by their ability to effectively distinguish between stereoisomers and structurally similar compounds, making them particularly valuable for pharmaceutical research and chemical analysis. Despite their many advantages, these columns require careful method development to realise their full potential. In short, carbon-based HPLC columns offer a powerful and versatile option for the separation of complex mixtures by utilising a combination of chemical stability, solvent compatibility and unique selectivity.
Read here about the basics of carbon-based separation columns and find an overview of HPLC columns and manufacturers. We would be happy to provide you with a customised offer!
What is special about carbon-based columns?
Due to the flat and highly crystalline surface, PGC columns show different retention mechanisms compared to carbon-modified silica-based phases, which can mainly be described by two phenomena:
- Dispersive interactions between analyte - mobile phase and analyte - graphite surface, whereby retention increases with increasing hydrophobicity of the analytes
Charge-induced interactions of polar analytes with the polarisable surface of the graphite
Furthermore, the surface of the PGC columns has stereoselective properties, so that even geometric isomers and other similar substances can be separated.
What are the advantages of PGC columns over other materials?
Due to their unique retention properties, PGC HPLC columns can also be used to separate very polar analytes - even under MS-friendly conditions, e.g. with 0.1% formic acid as a modifier.
PGC columns show no phase bleed and are therefore ideal for LC/MS applications
PGC columns are stable over the entire pH range from 0 to 14 and are not damaged even by aggressive mobile phases.
- PGC columns are also suitable for high temperature applications as they can routinely be used up to over 200 °C without compromising column performance.
Manufacturer:
1. Thermo Scientific
With its Hypercarb™ HPLC columns, Thermo Scientific has been a pioneer and established market leader in the field of PGC columns for many years. As a result, many application examples are known. In addition, Hypercarb™ HPLC columns are available as analytical, preparative and SPE cartridges (HyperSep).
| Properties | Description |
| Particle shape | Spherical, fully porous, without micropores |
| Specific surface area | 120 m2/g |
| Average pore diameter | 250 Å |
| Pore volume | 0.7 mL/g |
| Average particle diameter | 3, 5 µm - for analytical columns |
| Porosity | 75% |
| Carbon content | 100% |
| Pressure resistance | >400 bar |
| Maximum temperature | 200 °C |
| pH range | 0-14 |
2. Merck (Supelco)
Merck (Supelco) has also had PGC columns with the Supel™ Carbon product range in its portfolio since 2021. These stand out in particular due to their very high pressure stability of up to 700 bar and temperature stability of up to 250 °C. In addition to the analytical columns, SPE cartridges (Supelclean ENVI-Carb) made of graphite are also available.
| Properties | Description |
| Particle shape | Spherical, fully porous, without micropores |
| Specific surface area | 155 m2/g |
| Average pore diameter | 200 Å |
| Average particle diameter | 2.7 µm |
| Carbon content | 100% |
| Pressure resistance | 700 bar |
| Maximum temperature | 250 °C |
| pH range | 1-14 |
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