Diamond like carbon (DLC) coated chromatography columns are groundbreaking new products developed to reduce nonspecific adsorption of analytes on column and improve the performance and sensitivity of ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) and liquid chromatography/ Mass spectrometer (LC/MS) analysis.  

Stainless steel is the preferred material to manufacture HPLC columns due to its ease of fabrication, chemical inertness and mechanical resistance to pressure. However, stainless steel is still subject to corrosion and rust under certain conditions.  This results in metal-analyte interaction, a type of nonspecific adsorption (NSA) that occurs mainly between acidic analytes and active adsorptive sites presents in the metal surfaces of the fluidic path of any chromatography system. This NSA can cause poor peak shape, low recovery, and poor performance from the HPLC system. 

The diamond coating on the surface of the stainless-steel column minimizes non-specific adsorption on the chromatographic column to a maximum extent, achieving high-resolution separation, and demonstrating higher sensitivity and response values. In practical application, the diamond column excels in the realm of large biomolecules, metal-sensitive small molecules, and particularly in UHPLC and LC/MS analyses where high sensitivity is crucial. The chromatogram peaks on the diamond column exhibit a more symmetrical shape and a much-reduced peak tailing. The mass spectrometry peak signals are ten times larger compared to regular uncoated stainless steel chromatography columns, and the peak heights are significantly disparate, akin to “towering peaks.

Key Features

• Inert column minimizes non-specific adsorption.
• Improved peak shapes and enhanced separation efficiency.
• Flatter baselines and increase sensitivity.
• Significant reduction in sample residues decreases column activation and passivation times, thereby improving experimental efficiency.

Typical Applications

• Recommended for the analysis of biomacromolecules, such as oligonucleotides, peptides, monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, ADCs, etc.
• Suitable for the analysis of small molecules prone to chelate with metals.
• Ideal for UHPLC or LC/MS analysis with high sensitivity requirements.