IDEX Guard Columns

Unpacked Semi-Prep Guard Column

  • 10 mm ID column protection
  • Convenient cartridge system
  • Easy to pack

The internal volume of this semi-prep guard column is just 780 µL, which only requires approximately 1.50 g of packing material—ideally the same material used in your semi-prep column. The C-1000 Holder will hold to high pressures, and is specially treated to prevent galling.* Use standard 10-32 coned fittings (not included) to connect your 1/16" OD tubing.

Cartridge Guard Columns

Insert one of these Upchurch Scientific® analytical guard columns between the injection valve and column of your HPLC system to extend the life of your column and help ensure reproducible results. Convenient, pre-packed PEEK polymer cartridges complete the system and are available in a variety of bonded phases to match your column chemistry held in place by Titanium frits. The C-270 Stainless Steel Guard Column Holder is engineered for high-pressure applications to 4,000 PSI (276 bar). Each of these holders are surface treated to prevent galling*, a potential problem with threaded metal parts.

*Galling is a form of "cold welding". When two fittings manufactured from the same metal are wrench-tightened too tightly, they can "weld" together, making it virtually impossible to separate the two components.

Microbore Guard Columns

This ultralow volume guard column (1.0 mm ID x 2 cm length) is ideal for narrow-bore chromatography. The unpacked guard column allows you to exactly match the chemistry of your column, resulting in optimum column protection. The total packing volume of 16.2 µL ensures maximum column efficiency and analytical column protection. 

Frits often become plugged before a guard column is contaminated. The two 0.5 µm frits included with this guard column can be changed in minutes. Optional 2 µm frits may be purchased separately (C-408).

Analytical Guard Columns

HPLC users find this column easy to pack and extremely economical. This narrow-bore short column (2.0 mm ID x 2 cm length) creates only a slight pressure increase with virtually no detectable theoretical plate loss when used with a 3 mm ID or larger column. The 2 µm frits are easy to change, prolonging the life of the guard column. With only 62 µL packing volume per guard column, a 3 g bottle of packing material will pack about 30 guard columns.

Find more guard columns in the HPLC Columns section (Almost every brand and phase will have its own unique guard column)