SilcoTek® chemical vapor deposition technologies create a non-reactive surface that prevent interaction of test analytes with the stainless steel, glass and ceramic flow path surfaces. Our inert coating, Dursan®, improves peak quality and extends component life by preventing flow path corrosion.
The benefits of an inert flow path in HPLC include:
Get all the information about the benefits of SilcoTek coated analytical flow paths.
Coating Applications for High Performance Liquid Chromatography
SilcoTek coatings are used in HPLC applications to prevent interaction of the test analyte with the flow path surface. Our inert coating, Dursan, prevents adsorption, reactivity, and flow path corrosion. Applications include:
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Apply Dursan® to HPLC flow path surface to assure consistent results. Apply Dursan to:
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Comparison of plates show there are negligible effects on pressure and column packability. The Dursan® CVD coating process results in a micron thick surface on larger geometries like columns. On fine geometries, like frits, the coating process results in a 100 nm thick surface. The table below shows Dursan has no impact on column efficiency.
Column type |
Efficiency (avg of 3) |
Asym (avg) of 3 |
Stainless Steel |
15195 plates |
1.028 |
Dursan coated frit and column |
15233 plates |
1.026 |
With Dursan coated frit, SS column |
15069 plates |
1.020 |
Titanium frit SS column |
14263 plates |
1.044 |
PEEK is a highly inert material which has been used in HPLC applications for years. However PEEK has some limitations:
Dursan coated stainless steel offers a robust and inert alternative to PEEK.
Material | Temperature Stability | Solvent Performance | Corrosion Resistance | Delamination Issues | Mechanical Strength | Work-ability |
Dursan-coated Stainless Steel | 450°C | No swelling | Resistant to most known HPLC solvents | Molecularly bound and will not flake off | Limited only by the base material | Precision coating does not significantly alter dimensions. |
PEEK | 148°C | Swells with THF, Acetone & more | Incompatible with some acids, halides, chlorides and buffers | Lined tubing can experience delamination issues | Begins to flex at 3000 to 5000 PSI | Inconsistent machining can disrupt flow and shift retention times |
Comparative studies with Abbott Laboratories demonstrated the non stick feature of Dursan. Through our collaborative study with Abbott Laboratories, Dursan was shown to prevent non-specific protein binding and minimize protein fouling. Studies highlighting separations on HPLC peptide standard mixture, ribonuclease, cytochrome C, bovine serum albumin, and proteins show better response and minimum retention of the analyte on the surface, preventing cross contamination.
QCM-D analysis of coated and uncoated stainless steel surfaces show significant increase in protein mass on the stainless steel surface. The Dursan coated surface does not retain proteins, showing no increase in mass after washing with a non-ionic surfactant. This demonstrates the non stick feature of the coating.
The comparative chromatograph below tells the story. The resolution quality of tetracycline on a stainless steel column (A) showed poor peak shape and response. The Dursan® coated column (B) significantly improved the peak shape and response.
Organic molecules like phosphates can perform poorly in stainless steel flow paths. Phosphates are well known to have severe peak tailing during HPLC analysis due to the phosphate-iron interaction. We compared the performance of phosphate interaction, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), in stainless and Dursan coated systems. Results show a significant improvement in performance.
ATP Comparison
Ciclopirox is an antifungal agent typically used in topical fingernail and toenail infections. We compared the performance of 2-pyridinol-1-oxide, the chelating part of this antifungal agent, on various coated and uncoated surfaces. The chromatograms show significant loss of signal due to metal interactions in the separation. This highlights the interaction that the column wall has with the analyte and the need for column coating.
Dursan resists corrosive attack and damage to stainless steel flow paths. Dursan's inert surface creates a thin but robust barrier, preventing interaction of corrosives with the underlying surface.
Whitepaper: Inert CVD Coating for Protein, Corrosion, and Moisture Resistance in Bioanalysis Applications
Whitepaper: Protein Resistant Properties
Presentation: Dursan Coated HPLC Columns
Webinar: LC GC Webinar Slides
Application Note: Bio-Inert Coatings and Liquid Chromatography
Brochure: Liquid Chromatography Solutions Guide
Data Sheet: Dursan® CVD Coating
If you have a technical question about how our coating technologies will perform in your application, contact our Technical Service Team and ask the experts.
If you would like to buy a coated product directly from the manufacturer, go to our Buy Coated Products page.
To get the most out of your HPLC system coat all reactive sample flow path components and systems.
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