Microbore HPLC column performance and temperature programming capabilities

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Abstract
Microbore columns (1 mm i.d.) are compared to conventional 4.6 mm i.d. columns with respect to speed, efficiency and sensitivity. If column lengths, particule diameter, packing efficiency, mobile phase, and linear velocity are the same, most chromatographic properties such as speed (analysis time), efficiency, pressure drop, and sensitivity are the same. The major differences are the column volumes, the void volumes, and the volumetric flow rates for equal linear flow velocities. The low flow rates of microbore columns (30 to 200 μl/min), conserve solvent and make for easier interfacing to other instruments such as MS, NMR, or FTIR. Temperature programming of microbore HPLC columns produces faster analyses for large k′ values, increased sensitivity (due primarily to sharper peak shape), and increases the range of compounds which can be handled in an isocratic mode.