High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) is a cornerstone of analytical chemistry, offering precise separation, identification, and quantification of components in a mixture. Stainless steel surfaces in HPLC systems have been a known problem for some time, but scientists have gotten around it by adding chelating agents, regular system passivation, or utilizing alternative materials. There’s a permanent cost efficient alternative: our coatings. Enter SilcoTek—a leader in advanced chemical vapor deposition (CVD) coatings—whose innovations are transforming HPLC workflows by mitigating common challenges like corrosion, sample adsorption, and cross-contamination.
SilcoTek’s proprietary CVD technology creates ultra-thin, inert coatings that bond at the molecular level to various substrates. The result is a surface that resists chemical attack, minimizes reactivity, and reduces the potential for contamination. Key coatings like Dursan® and Siltride® are often utilized to improve the performance of HPLC systems.
Dursan: Known for its exceptional corrosion resistance and inertness, Dursan is ideal for handling aggressive solvents and acidic or basic mobile phases. As noted in the figure below, the Dursan coated hardware was able to avoid metal leaching better than uncoated stainless steel components in a mobile phase often used for the separation of oligonucleotides.
Siltride: A hydrogenated amorphous silicon oxynitride barrier coating that is known for its corrosion resistance, hydrophilic, durability, and high temperature capibilities that are common in HPLC applications. The hydrophilic properties of Siltride are especially important in large molecule separations such as size exclusion chromatography (SEC) of proteins and AAVs.
Reduced Analyte Adsorption: Active analytes can adsorb onto traditional stainless steel components, leading to poor peak resolution and inaccurate quantification. SilcoTek’s inert coatings create a non-reactive barrier, minimizing these interactions and improving analytical precision. Scientists can often predict that some analytes such as acidic and polar analytes will stick to metal surfaces, but many users of coated hardware have reported analytes will unexpectedly experience non-specific adsorption. Coated hardware provides a level of assurance regardless of the analyte’s behavior.
Enhanced Corrosion Resistance: Stainless steel in HPLC systems often encounter aggressive solvents, such as methanol, acidic modifiers, high salt concentrations, or buffers with extreme pH values. Coated components resist corrosion, extending the life of critical system parts like tubing, fittings, and columns.
Improved Signal Sensitivity: Reduced adsorption and contamination translate to better baseline resolution and higher signal sensitivity. This is particularly critical for trace-level analyses.
Lower Maintenance Costs: With improved resistance to wear and chemical attack, SilcoTek-coated components require less frequent replacement and cleaning, reducing downtime and operational costs.
Broad Compatibility: SilcoTek coatings can be applied to a variety of HPLC components, including:
SilcoTek coatings have been widely adopted in industries such as pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, environmental analysis, and food safety. For example:
Pharmaceutical Analysis: In drug development, where trace-level detection of impurities is critical, SilcoTek coatings help ensure the accuracy and reliability of HPLC results.
Environmental Testing: Coated components resist contamination from complex matrices, improving the detection of pollutants in water and soil samples.
Food and Beverage Quality Control: By minimizing carryover and contamination, our coatings enhance the analysis of additives, preservatives, and contaminants.
As HPLC technology continues to advance, the importance of reliable, inert, and durable system components cannot be overstated. SilcoTek’s innovative coatings empower laboratories to push the boundaries of analytical performance while minimizing maintenance and operational costs. By integrating SilcoTek-coated components into your HPLC workflows, you can achieve unparalleled precision, longevity, and efficiency.
Ready to improve your HPLC performance? Explore SilcoTek’s solutions and discover how our coatings can transform your analytical capabilities.