GPC Columns

GPC Columns

Organic-and aqueous-based size separations

Organic-and aqueous-based size separations

Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) is a chromatographic technique that separates molecules based on their relative size in solution and is often used by scientists analyzing polymers (plastics or other synthetic polymers) using either organic or aqueous eluents. With GPC analysis, you can determine polymer physical properties by characterizing the polymer’s molecular weight distribution.

For more than 50 years, Waters has been the market leader in GPC analysis, providing the highest quality columns and applications support for both organic and aqueous-based size separations. With Waters comprehensive GPC Column selection, you can be certain that the GPC Column or column bank you choose will be compatible with temperature, solvent, and polymer type.

Waters Gel Permeation Chromatography Columns for sized based separations. GPC Columns
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Specifications

Overview

  • Styragel Columns for organic polymer characterization
  • Ultrahydrogel Columns for aqueous polymer characterization
  • HSPgel Columns for high speed organic GPC analysis
  • HSPgel AQ Columns for high speed aqueous polymer characterization
  • Ultrastyragel Preparative Columns for organic polymer isolation and cleanup
  • Envirogel Columns for high-resolution GPC Cleanup
  • Shodex Columns for organic polymer characterization

Recommended Use: For both organic-and aqueous-based size separations.

GPC Columns for Non-Aqueous Samples

GPC Columns for Non-Aqueous Samples
Styragel HT Columns
  • Can be used with aggressive solvents at high temperatures without sacrificing resolution or column lifetime
  • Packed with rigid 10 µm particles, with a typical plate count greater than 10,000 plates per column
  • Extremely durable due to a narrow particle size distribution, resulting in a very stable column bed
  • Suitable for both ambient- and high-temperature analysis
  • The Styragel HT Columns offer excellent resolution of polymers in the mid-to-high molecular weight range

Ideal for the analysis of ABS, acetyl, acrylics, EVA, Nylon, PEEK, and PET/PBT.

Styragel HR Columns
  • Designed particularly for low molecular weight samples, where high resolution is critical
  • Packed with rigid 5 µm particles, these columns deliver unrivaled resolution and efficiency in the low-to-mid molecular weight range

Ideal for the analysis of oligomers, epoxies, polymer additives, phenolics, unsaturated polyester, urea/formaldehyde, polyethylene glycol, ethanolamines, and melamine resin.

Styragel HMW Columns
  • Designed for the analysis of ultra-high molecular weight polymers susceptible to shearing
  • Styragel HMW Columns minimize polymer shear effects, by combining high-porosity 10 µm frits and 20 µm particles
  • Can be used at ambient or elevated temperatures, and exhibit excellent column lifetime

Ideal for the analysis of UHDPE, UH-polystyrene, UH-isoprene, and UH-PMMA.

HSPgel HT Columns
  • Designed for high-speed GPC analysis
  • Provide an accurate and precise determination of molecular weight, increased sample throughput, and greatly reduced solvent consumption and disposal
  • The HSPgel HT Columns are designed for room-temperature to high-temperature (180 °C) organic GPC
  • The HSPgel HT Columns are available in 5 µm particle size and are stable from ambient to 180 °C

Ideal for the analysis of anionic, cationic, and neutral polymers.

HSPgel HR Columns
  • Designed for high-speed GPC analysis
  • Provide an accurate and precise determination of molecular weight, increased sample throughput, and greatly reduced solvent consumption and disposal
  • The HSPgel HR Columns are designed for high resolution, room temperature, organic polymer GPC
  • The HSPgel HR Columns are available in 3 µm particle size and are stable from ambient to 80 °C
  • Packed in THF and can be converted once to toluene, methylene chloride, or chloroform

Ideal for organic polymer GPC.

HSPgel RT Columns
  • Designed for high-speed GPC analysis
  • Provide an accurate and precise determination of molecular weight, increased sample throughput, and greatly reduced solvent consumption and disposal
  • The HSPgel RT Columns are designed for room temperature, routine work of organic polymer GPC
  • The HSPgel RT Columns are available in 3 µm particle size and are stable from ambient to 80 °C
  • Packed in THF and can be converted multiple times from THF to toluene, chloroform, methylene chloride, DMF, DMSO, etc

Ideal for routine work of organic polymer GPC.

Envirogel GPC Cleanup Columns
  • Designed to remove low volatility, high molecular weight interferences, such as lipids and natural resins, from environmental samples as specified in EPA Method 3640A.
  • Envirogel GPC Cleanup Columns offer high-efficiency, and increase the speed of clean-up procedure, while simultaneously reducing solvent consumption

Ideal for high resolution GPC Cleanup.

Shodex Columns
  • High-efficiency columns for GPC analysis
  • Designed for high resolution performance, featuring reproducible styrene and divinylbenzyne technology
  • Available packed in THF, DMF, or chloroform

Ideal for organic polymer characterization.

Ultrastyragel Preparative Columns
  • Deliver high-efficiency GPC separations for compound isolation and sample cleanup
  • Closely related to Styragel GPC Columns, the family of Ultrastyragel Columns provide a two- to three-fold increase in efficiency (plates/meter) that improves separation speed, and reduces solvent consumption for preparative isolation

Ideal for organic polymer isolation and cleanup.

GPC Columns for Aqueous Samples

GPC Columns for Aqueous Samples
HSPgel AQ Columns
  • Designed for high-speed GPC analysis
  • Provide an accurate and precise determination of molecular weight, increased sample throughput, and greatly reduced solvent consumption and disposal
  • The HSPgel AQ Columns are optimized for high-speed polymer analysis in aqueous solution at room temperature

 Ideal for the analysis of anionic, cationic, and neutral polymers.

Ultrahydrogel Columns
  • Provide mobile-phase flexibility, and minimal non-size-exclusion effects
  • Compatibility with high concentrations of organic solvents (up to 20% organic, 50% organic if mobile phase is introduced in gradient)
  • Packed with hydroxylated polymethacrylate-based gel

Ideal for the analysis of aqueous-soluble samples, such as oligomers; oligosaccharides; polysaccharides; and cationic, anionic, and amphoteric polymers.

Select the right GPC Column for your application

Selecting the right GPC Column for your requirements depends on several factors, including:

Particle size and pore size distribution— Columns are associated with a specific dimension, particle size, and pore volume optimized for polymer classes and polydispersity. Column length and particle size influence resolution. Pore size determines the molecular weight range that you can successfully separate with a Column.

Temperature and solvent compatibility— Many GPC Columns are susceptible to damage if the mobile phase is rapidly changed. To overcome this, Waters GPC Column selection offers commonly used mobile phases to improve bed stability.

Resolution and molecular weight range— Columns can be linked in series to improve resolution or expand the molecular weight separation range. Linear Columns provide faster separations over a wider range of molecular weight, but resolution is limited.

Know the key principle of gel permeation chromatography

In GPC analysis, higher molecular weight molecules elute prior to lower molecular weight molecules. This is because the GPC Column stationary phase (typically a cross-linked gel) has a defined surface pore size. In a well-designed method, smaller molecules can diffuse more deeply into more pores more often. As a result of spending more time diffusing in and out of pores, smaller molecules elute from the GPC Column after larger molecules. Larger molecules are less likely to enter pores and do not spend as much time diffusing in and out of pores within the GPC Column.

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GPC Columns

Waters has established itself as a market leader in gel permeation chromatography (GPC) for over 50 years, delivering high-quality columns for both organic and aqueous-based size separations. GPC, a crucial chromatographic technique, separates molecules based on their size in solution and is predominantly utilized for analyzing polymers like plastics and other synthetic materials. Whether using organic or aqueous eluents, GPC analysis allows for the precise determination of polymer physical properties by characterizing the polymer's molecular weight distribution.

Waters offers a comprehensive selection of GPC Columns, ensuring compatibility with temperature, solvent, and polymer type, which guarantees that any chosen column or column bank will meet specific experimental requirements. For organic polymer characterization, Waters offers Styragel Columns, which are known for their robust performance. Ultrahydrogel Columns are ideal for aqueous polymer characterization, offering flexibility in mobile-phase composition and minimal non-size exclusion effects.

For those seeking high-speed GPC analysis, Waters' HSPgel Columns come in various configurations. HSPgel HT Columns, for example, are designed to operate from room temperature up to 180°C and are perfect for analyzing a range of anionic, cationic, and neutral polymers. In contrast, HSPgel HR Columns are tailored for high-resolution analysis at room temperatures, packed in THF, and convertible to solvents like toluene and chloroform, making them ideal for organic polymer characterization.

Specialized columns like Styragel HT are built to withstand aggressive solvents at high temperatures without losing resolution or reducing column lifetime, making them suitable for the analysis of polymers in the mid-to-high molecular weight range. On the other end of the spectrum, Styragel HR Columns excel in analyzing low molecular weight samples where high resolution is critical.

For environmental applications, Envirogel GPC Cleanup Columns are designed to efficiently remove low volatility, high molecular weight interferences from samples, aligning with EPA Method 3640A for high-resolution GPC Cleanup.

The selection process for the right GPC Column involves considering several factors, like particle size, pore size distribution, column length, temperature, and solvent compatibility. These factors are crucial as they influence the resolution and molecular weight range that can be successfully separated by the column. Waters ensures that its columns can be linked in series to either improve resolution or expand the molecular weight separation range.

In GPC analysis, larger molecules elute before smaller ones as they are less likely to enter the pores of the stationary phase, a cross-linked gel typically used in GPC Columns. This behavior allows GPC to effectively separate polymers based on molecular size, providing valuable insights into the molecular structure and behavior of polymers.

Waters' GPC Columns are essential tools for scientists and researchers who require precise, reliable, and efficient size-based separation of polymers, offering tailored solutions to meet the diverse needs of modern polymer analysis. Whether for basic research, quality control, or production, Waters provides an extensive range of GPC Columns that enhance analytical capabilities and foster innovations in polymer science.

FAQs About Waters GPC Columns

1. What is a GPC column?
A GPC (gel permeation chromatography) column is a type of chromatography column used for separating and analyzing polymers based on their size and molecular weight.

2. What are the benefits of using Waters GPC columns?
Waters GPC columns offer high resolution and reproducibility, as well as a wide range of column sizes and pore sizes to accommodate different sample types and applications.

3. What types of samples can be analyzed using Waters GPC columns?
Waters GPC columns can be used to analyze a wide range of polymer samples, including synthetic polymers, natural polymers, and biopolymers.

4. How do I choose the right GPC column for my application?
The choice of GPC column depends on the type of sample being analyzed, as well as the desired resolution and sensitivity. Waters offers a range of GPC columns with different pore sizes and column dimensions to suit different applications.

5. How do I maintain and store my Waters GPC column?
Waters recommends storing GPC columns in a cool, dry place, and flushing the column with a suitable solvent before and after use to prevent contamination. Regular maintenance, such as cleaning and conditioning the column, can also help to prolong its lifespan.