Application note shows how to enhance the benefits of elevated temperatures in HPLC by making temperature programming an integral part of the process
Extended temperature separations specialist Selerity Technologies has produced a new free application note showing how laboratory managers can enhance the benefits of elevated temperatures in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) by making temperature programming an integral part of the process.
The note confirms the advantages of increasing the temperature of HPLC separations.
However it contends that raising the temperature alone and ignoring other parameters means that productivity, efficiencies and results are not necessarily fully maximised and exploited.
The best separations can be achieved through temperature programming.
In this application note, Selerity's work has concentrated on the separation of aromatic hydrocarbons.
Experiments contrasted the isothermal separation of seven different compounds using a fast gradient solvent with isocratical separations using a thermal gradient. The results clearly show that the best separations are obtained using a thermal gradient with an isocratic mobile phase. Isothermal runs with a fast solvent gradient appear less sufficient to resolve all seven components with good peak shape and efficiency, despite increases in temperature displaying marked improvements in the peak shape as temperatures reach 150C. With a temperature gradient, however, one benefits not only from reduced run times found with a fast solvent gradient, but also better peak shapes of all seven components and excellent resolution.
The application note suggests that a temperature gradient can thus decrease retention and improve peak shape, especially of the late-eluting aromatic compounds.
The application note (number 808) is available free of charge, via email.
