PEEK Column and Other Parts Used in HPLC instrument

If you are a regular reader of High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) articles, you have surely heard about PEEK plastic components used in HPLC instruments. Did you know that peek plastics are the preferred material for HPLC instrument manufacture? The main reasons for this preference to use PEEK as a source of materials for manufacturing HPLC instruments are its high chemical stability, high mechanical strength and creep resistance.

PEEK plastic is a thermoplastic polymer that is used in HPLC instruments. Since the 80s, PEEK has reached a leading position in chemical applications such as analytical chemistry and biotechnology. Due to the unusual combination of polymers properties, PEEK has outstanding mechanical and thermal resistance, permeability for gases, and good electrical insulation. Recently it finds its use in polymers application for biodegradable and semiconducting materials on the macro-and microscale. It can be used to be manufactured in various forms such as rods, tubes, sheets, flat plates, etc.

Keward can provide you with high-quality PEEK rods at a reasonable price. And in the HPLC industry, chemical agents are often used, so checking the PEEK chemical resistance table is important.

PEEK column

One of the most important details of your HPLC is its column, which lies at the center of all HPLC separations. The column sits in your HPLC instrument’s analysis chamber and pumps up and down to deliver a mobile phase to the separation capillary tube every time you press the Go button. The column is packed with a stationary phase that absorbs compounds in fluid form as they migrate through the column made up of pores of different sizes throughout. Then, using either a UV detector or a refractive index detector, you view each compound as it passes by to determine which one(s) are present in your sample. The bigger the pore size on the column packing, the larger the molecules that can be analyzed due to their increased capacity for absorption.

PEEK Autosampler

Autosampler is an integral component for an HPLC machine as it automatically injects the sample into the column. There are two types of autosamplers:

Asynchronous autosampler: It is used to inject the samples at regular intervals.

Synchronous autosampler: It is used to inject the samples simultaneously with eluent flow.

PEEK Vacuum Pump

In HPLC, the vacuum pump is used to suck the low-pressure mobile phase (eluent) from the reservoir and deliver it to the different parts of the system like the injector, detector, etc.

PEEK Liquid Handler

A liquid handler ensures that liquids can be delivered in precise amounts at specific times and places within an analytical system. It also provides real-time weighing and volumetric control of liquids during an analytical process. It may be one of the main components of a chromatography instrument or an accessory component connected to another component through tubing or wiring, such as a valve manifold or a peristaltic pump station. Depending upon their use liquid handlers may be called dispensing systems, volumetric pumps, or sample preparation systems.