Chromolith® HPLC Columns

Speed and Performance Based on Revolutionary Monolithic Silica Technology

In contrast to conventional particle-packed columns, Merck's Chromolith® columns for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) are based on state-of-the-art monolithic silica technology. Produced from a continuous piece of porous silica using a sol-gel process, Chromolith® monolithic HPLC columns possess a defined bimodal pore structure with macro- and mesopores in the micro- and nanometer range. The high permeability and porosity of the silica skeleton, and the resulting low back pressure allow for more flexible flow rates than conventional particulate columns. As a result, Chromolith® HPLC columns enable high-throughput analysis without loss of separation efficiency or peak capacity.

Unique Bimodal Pore Structure

Mesopores (average pore size 13 nm): Form a fine porous structure, and large uniform surface area on which adsorption takes place, thus enabling high-performance chromato- graphic separation.

Macropores (average pore size 2 μm): Allow rapid flow of the mobile phase at low back pressure

Chromolith® HPLC Columns Versus Classic Particulate Columns

The use of HPLC columns containing conventional 3 or 5 μm silica particles often results in high back pressure. This may damage both the column and the HPLC system. Hence, classic HPLC columns are limited in length and in the number of theoretical plates. Attempts have been made to increase the plate count by decreasing the particle size, but this results in unacceptable back pressure, and limits the variety of separations that can be satisfactorily achieved.

The development of faster separation processes has become one of the most important issues in high-performance liquid chromatography. One solution is through laboratory automation of HPLC systems, which improves sample throughput by enabling around-the-clock operation. Thanks to their revolutionary bimodal pore structure, Chromolith® columns provide excellent separations in a fraction of the time that a standard particulate column takes. This enables higher speeds and higher sample throughput at lower back pressure. Furthermore, the columns' rapid separation speed leads to significant cost and time savings, which compensate for a method revalidation within just one month.

Chromolith® HighResolution Columns

For even greater performance, our special Chromolith® HighResolution columns offer at least 50% higher efficiency, and excellent peak symmetry, yet more than 30% longer lifetime compared with particulate columns.

The robustness of the Chromolith® column makes it ideal for analyzing matrix-rich samples. Furthermore, two Chromolith® columns can be easily coupled in order to achieve even higher resolution. If necessary, the lower back pressure allows the coupling of even more columns. A polar endcapped stationary phase enables the elution of basic compounds with no peak tailing.

Chromolith® Validation Kit

For accurate method validation, it is essential to assess all possible sources of variations. To assist this process, the Chromolith® RP-18 endcapped 100-4.6 mm validation kit includes three columns from three different production batches, allowing you to compare batch-to-batch reproducibility and quality. This makes the validation kit the ideal tool for quality control and validation laboratories.

Chromolith® 25 mm Length

For ultra-fast separation of simple mixtures

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Chromolith® 50 mm Length

For fast separation of simple mixtures

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Chromolith® 100 mm Length

For rapid separation of more complex mixtures

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