How Do I Connect a Stainless Steel Guard Cartridge to My HPLC Column?
Hamilton makes guard cartridges for Reversed-Phase columns, Anion Exchange columns, Cation Exchange columns, and Ion Exclusion columns, and the process is straightforward for all of them.
- Locate the tubing in the HPLC that connects the injection valve to the inlet of the HPLC column. This tube will be made of stainless steel or PEEK, and is referred to as the column inlet tube or column inlet line.
- If the end of the column inlet tube that goes into the HPLC column is bare, with no nut and ferrule, place a stainless steel male nut (10-32 threads) for 1/16 OD tubing over the tubing at the end where the tube goes into the inlet of the column with the threads facing toward the inlet of the HPLC column, and place a stainless steel compression ferrule over the column inlet tube with the tapered end facing toward the open end of the tube.
- Tighten a stainless steel, zero-dead-volume union (10-32 threads) onto the nut/ferrule combination that was just placed on the the column inlet tube above. Using a 3/8" open end wrench to hold the zero-dead-volume union, tighten the nut/ferrule into the union until the ferrule is swaged onto the tubing (~ ¼ turn).
- Now connect the open end of the union to the inlet tubing of the guard cartridge assembly using a stainless steel male nut (10-32 threads) for 1/16 OD tubing and a stainless steel compression ferrule. Using a 3/8" open end wrench on the union, use a 1/4" wrench to tighten the stainless steel male nut with the ferrule onto the inlet the tube of the guard cartridge assembly.
- Connect the the guard cartridge holder outlet tube to the inlet fitting of the HPLC column using a stainless steel male nut (10-32 threads) for 1/16 OD tubing and a stainless steel compression ferrule.
- Using a 3/8" open end wrench to hold the inlet of the HPLC column, use a 1/4" wrench to tighten the stainless steel male nut with the ferrule in front of it while firmly inserting the tube into the open end of the HPLC column fitting. Tighten the nut/ferrule into the inlet fitting of the HPLC column until the ferrule is swaged onto the tubing (~ ¼ turn).
