Pittcon is where analytical scientists gather to explore the latest advances in laboratory measurement and analytical technology, and this year SilcoTek will be there in Booth 3116 at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio from March 7-11.
Surface interactions in analytical systems often determine whether you get reliable, reproducible data or inconsistent results. Reactive metal flow paths can adsorb trace level analytes such as sulfur, organophosphorus compounds, amines, acids, bases, and semi-volatiles, leading to poor recovery, ghost peaks, and calibration drift. SilcoTek’s coatings are applied at the molecular level to provide chemically inert, conformal thin film barriers inside complex geometries without altering component tolerances.
Dursan® is a corrosion resistant, silicon-based CVD coating that forms a dense, amorphous layer bonded to stainless steel and other alloys. Its smooth, low energy surface minimizes adsorption while resisting harsh environments. SilcoNert® coatings go a step further for ultra inert applications, reducing active sites that interact with highly adsorptive compounds commonly encountered in GC, sampling systems, and trace analysis. Siltride® coatings offer hard, chemically resistant surfaces with enhanced wear protection for dynamic parts or abrasive environments where both durability and chemical protection are required. All of these coatings are applied with controlled chemical vapor deposition, generating continuous barriers that improve analyte recovery, reduce corrosion-driven contamination, and enhance reproducibility across a wide range of analytical uses.
On Monday, March 9 from 8:30 to 11:00 AM in Room 303B, SilcoTek’s Allie Taggart and Luke Patterson will host the technical session “Advancements in Gas Chromatography for Oil and Gas Analysis,” a program focused on methodology developments in GC-MS systems for environmental and energy applications. This session context highlights how inert surface technology supports trace level analysis by mitigating surface-driven losses and improving analytical robustness in fuel and energy measurements, and will include a presentation on identifying impurities in hydrogen fuels and the role of inert coatings for detecting labile species.
The session will feature several talks from subject matter experts.
Ona Broadway from Wasson ECE Instrumentation will present on New Revolutionary Process GC with Capillary Chromatography
Paul Morris of Markes International will be discussing Identifying Impurities in Hydrogen Fuels - The Essential Role of Inert Coating for Detection of Labile Species
Chuck De Carlo from Process Insights will be talking about Lessons Learned from Subpart Ja: Advances in Real-time Gas Sampling and Analysis to Deal with Difficult Molecules
Jaap De Zeeuw of CreaVisions will identify Advancements in Predicting Separations of Volatiles in Gas Chromatography Oil and Gas Applications.
Monday, March 9, 2026 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM, Expo Floor, Session Number PS-B032
Stainless steel has become the standard for liquid sampling systems, especially for needles that may need to penetrate through a septum to gather the sample. While PEEK is a metal free alternative, it suffers from mechanical stability issues. Many studies have shown the impact that this metal surface has when utilizing it to transfer liquid samples. Some analytes, especially acidic or highly polar analytes will stick to stainless steel surfaces. This can lead to inaccurate quantitation and the risk of carryover from sample to sample. Additionally, metal can leach from the stainless steel into the liquid resulting in either adduct formation or, in some cases, oxidative reactions with analytes of interest. Here we show the impact that metal surfaces can have for certain analytes and a silica-like CVD coating that mitigates most issues for stainless steel while still maintaining the mechanical robustness one might expect out of a metal part.
Monday, March 9, 2026 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, Expo Floor, Session Number PS-E129
Lead times and cost for electropolished tubing rose rapidly during the later part of the COVID-19 pandemic. There were two key drivers for these increases. First, many supply chains broke down and it became very difficult to purchase any stainless steel tubing, let alone high quality electropolished tubes. Second, the large domestic growth in the semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries placed a strain on an already stressed market due to their high demand for such tubing. This led to many organizations to reconsider their need for electropolished tubing and look toward alternative technologies. This was to both solve the immediate crisis as well as sure up supply chains for future emergencies. Here we show that for gas and liquid transfer systems a silicon-based CVD coating on non-electropolished tubing can offer improved inertness, reduced dry down times, and improved corrosion resistance without the need for electropolished surfaces.
Visit us at Booth 3116 to talk through your specific challenges, see real application data, and explore samples of coated components for chromatography, life sciences, energy, and environmental testing. If you are working on method development, high sensitivity analysis, or instrumentation design, our team can help you understand where surface interactions may be affecting your results and how advanced coatings can improve performance.
We look forward to seeing you in San Antonio at Pittcon 2026!
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