The Wrench
Vol.4 Issue 1
Material Solvent Compatibility
When it comes to fittings & seals we have several options to choose
from. Fittings are typically made of stainless steel, Teflon, or PEEK. Plunger seals are
often made of a Teflon or graphitized Teflon material or a UHMWPE material. Autosampler
and column switching rotor seals are available in Tefzel, PEEK, or Vespel varieties.
The reasons for the various options to ensure compatibility of wetted
materials in the system they contact. The following chart lists the chemical compatibility
of these materials in a variety of HPLC solvents.
| |
PEEK |
UHMWPE |
Tefzel |
Vespel |
Teflon |
| Acetic Acid |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
| Acetone |
Excellent |
Good |
Fair |
Excellent |
Excellent |
| Acetonitrile |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
|
Excellent |
| Chloroform |
Excellent |
Fair |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
| Diethyl ether |
Excellent |
Good |
Excellent |
|
Excellent |
| Ethyl Acetate |
Excellent |
Poor |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
| Formic Acid |
Excellent |
Poor |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
| Hexane |
Excellent |
Poor |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
| Isopropanol |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
| Methanol |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
|
Excellent |
| Methylene Chloride |
Fair |
Fair |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
| Tetrahydrofuran |
Fair |
Good |
Fair |
|
Excellent |
| Toluene |
Excellent |
Good |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
| Water |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Good |
Excellent |
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