For over 50 years, Waters has been the market leader in GPC and SEC analysis, providing the highest quality columns and applications support for both organic- and aqueous-based size separations.  Refinements in packing materials and technology have allowed industry scientists to expand the original GPC/SEC polymer separations to include applications for separating small and large molecules from interfering matrices, such as those found in foods, pharmaceutical preparations, and natural products.  

Waters leading GPC/SEC brands include:

• Styragel^® Columns for polymer characterization
• Envirogel™ Columns for high-resolution GPC cleanup
• Shodex^® Columns for polymer characterization
• HSPgel™ Columns for high speed GPC analysis
• HSPgel AQ Columns for high speed SEC analysis
• Ultrahydrogel™ Columns for SEC
• Ultrastyragel™ Columns for polymer characterization

Gel-permeation chromatography, size-exclusion chromatography, and gel-filtration chromatography are synonymous techniques used to resolve component mixtures based on their size in solution.  When evaluating the column choices in the table (below), please consider these column properties that will influence the separation:

• Particle size and pore size distribution.  Each column family represents a section of column dimension, particle size and pore volume optimized for a wide range of polymer classes and polydispersity.
• Temperature and solvent compatibility.  Many GPC columns are susceptible to damage if the mobile phase is rapidly changed.  To overcome this Waters provides GPC columns in commonly used mobile phases to improve bed stability.
• Resolution and molecular weight range.  Columns can be linked in series to improve resolution or expand the molecular weight separation range.  Linear columns provide faster separations over a wider range of molecular weight but resolution is limited.

Waters HSPgel™ AQ SEC Columns are optimized for high-speed polymer analysis in aqueous solution.  These columns reduce solvent consumption, increase throughput, and provide accurate molecular weight data for any room temperature analysis.

Designed particularly for low molecular weight samples, the Waters Styragel^® HR Columns are ideal for the analysis of oligomers, epoxies, and polymer additives where high resolution is critical.  Packed with rigid 5 µm particles, these columns deliver unrivaled resolution and efficiency in the low-to-mid molecular weight range. 

The HSPgel™ HR Column series is designed for high resolution, room termperature, organic polymer GPC.  These columns are packed in THF and can be converted once to toluene, methylene chloride, or chloroform. 

The Styragel^® HT Columns can be used with aggressive solvents at high temperatures without sacrificing resolution or column lifetime.  Packed with rigid 10 µm particles, they have a typical plate count greater than 10,000 plates per column.  These columns are extremely durable due to a narrow particle size distribution that results in a very stable column bed.  Suitable for both ambient- and high-temperature analysis.  The Styragel HT Columns offer excellent resolution of polymers in the mid-to-high molecular weight range. 

The HSPgel™ HT Columns are designed for room-temperature to high-temperature (180 °C) organic GPC.  The columns come shipped in either THF or ODCB.  The ODCB packed column should be used for direct conversion to TCB.  These columns can withstand multiple solvent switches. 

The Styragel^® HMW Columns were specifically designed for the analysis of ultra-high molecular weight polymers susceptible to shearing.  Combining high-porosity 10 µm frits and 20 µm particles, the Styragel HMW Columns minimize polymer shear effects.  These state-of the-art columns can be used at ambient or elevated temperatures, and exhibit excellent column lifetime.

The HSPgel™ RT Columns are designed for room temperature, routine work of organic polymer GPC.  These come packed in THF and can be converted multiple times from THF to toluene, chloroform, methylene chloride, DMF, DMSO, etc.

The Envirogel™ High-Efficiency GPC Cleanup Columns are specifically designed to remove low volatility, high molecular weight interferences, such as lipids and natural resins, from environmental samples as specified in EPA Method 3640A. In the past, the cleanup procedure for environmental samples was performed on low-efficiency GPC columns based on packing particle diameters of 37-75 µm (200 to 400 mesh) Bio-Beads^® S-Z resins.  The high-efficiency Envirogel GPC Cleanup Columns increase the speed of this process while simultaneously reducing solvent consumption.

Packed with hydroxylated polymethacrylate-based gel, Waters Ultrahydrogel™ SEC Columns are ideal for the analysis of aqueous-soluble samples, such as oligomers; oligosaccharides; polysaccharides; and cationic, anionic, and amphoteric polymers.  Measuring 7.8 x 300 mm, these high-resolution columns offer many advantages over conventional aqueous SEC columns:

• Wide pH range (2-12)
• Compatibility with high concentrations of organic solvents (up to 20% organic, 50% organic if mobile phase is introduced in gradient)
• Greater mobile-phase flexibility
• Minimal non-size-exclusion effects

Shodex^® Columns are high-efficiency columms for GPC analysis.  Featuring a very reproducible styrene and divinylbenzyne technology, these columns have more than twenty years of history and have been used by customers all over the world.

• K-800 Series - Ultra-high efficiency columns designed for high resolution performance.  Available in THF, DMF or chloroform.
• HFIP-800 Series - Columns with the same high efficiency as the K series columns, but are available in HFIP.

Ultrastyragel™ Preparative Columns provide high-efficiency GPC separations for compound isolation and sample cleanup.  Closely related to Styragel^® GPC Columns, the family of Ultrastyragel Columns provide a two- to three-fold increase in efficiency (plates/meter) that improves separation speed and reduces solvent consumption for preparative isolation.  Separations that once required several smaller Styragel Columns can be performed on a single, more efficient Ultrastyragel Preparative Column.