InfinityLab Poroshell 120

Agilent InfinityLab Poroshell 120 EC-C18 is a general-purpose reversed-phase column that pairs superficially porous particle (solid-core) efficiency with a broadly applicable C18 selectivity. It’s designed to deliver UHPLC-level resolution at lower backpressure than fully porous sub-2 µm columns—ideal for method development, method transfer, and routine QC.

• You want a “first-choice” C18 for acids, bases, and neutrals
• You need high efficiency on 400–600 bar systems (without moving to sub-2 µm fully porous)
• You want predictable, broadly compatible reversed-phase retention
• You’re optimizing pharmaceutical QC / impurity profiling workflows

Compared to conventional 3–5 µm fully porous C18 columns, EC-C18 increases efficiency and shortens run time. Compared to sub-2 µm fully porous UHPLC columns, it often achieves similar resolution with reduced pressure and improved robustness.

Poroshell 120 EC-C8 provides the same solid-core efficiency as EC-C18 but with a shorter alkyl ligand for reduced hydrophobic retention. This is often the fastest route to shorten run times when C18 retains hydrophobic compounds too strongly, while keeping the method in a familiar reversed-phase mode.

• C18 methods are too retentive or require steep gradients
• You want faster elution while maintaining reversed-phase selectivity
• You need high efficiency without changing solvents or pH

EC-C8 is generally less retentive than EC-C18. If you have adequate resolution on C18 but long cycle times, C8 is a practical selectivity-conserving shortcut to speed.

Poroshell 120 Aq-C18 is designed for challenging polar compounds and mobile phases with very high aqueous content. It improves retention of polar analytes in reversed-phase conditions and supports operation at elevated temperatures, helping stabilize retention and peak shape in low-organic or 100% aqueous methods.

• Polar analytes elute too early on standard C18
• You need stable retention in high-aqueous / very low organic mobile phases
• You want to retain polar and nonpolar analytes together in one RP method
• You use elevated temperature to improve mass transfer and peak shape

Compared to conventional C18 phases, Aq-C18 emphasizes polar retention under aqueous conditions. If your RP method shows poor polar retention or unstable early peaks at high water content, Aq-C18 is a targeted fix without switching to HILIC.

Poroshell 120 SB-C18 is built for strong stability under aggressive acidic conditions and elevated temperature. It is frequently selected for low-pH methods where robustness and lifetime are the priority, while still benefiting from solid-core efficiency for fast, high-resolution separations.

• Your method operates at low pH and needs long-term stability
• You run elevated temperatures (up to 90 °C) for speed or viscosity reduction
• You want robust C18 selectivity for routine QC under harsh conditions

Compared to EC-C18, SB-C18 is a “ruggedness first” C18 choice for harsher conditions. If your low-pH method is chewing up standard C18 columns, SB-C18 is often the stability upgrade.

Poroshell 120 SB-C8 combines reduced retention (C8) with a rugged, stability-focused design for low-pH workflows. It’s a practical choice when you need speed and stability together, especially for hydrophobic compounds that retain too strongly on C18 at low pH.

• You need faster elution than C18 under acidic conditions
• Low-pH methods require improved column lifetime
• You want robust reversed-phase selectivity for routine runs

Poroshell 120 CS-C18 is engineered for extended stability at higher pH while maintaining a familiar reversed-phase C18 retention profile. It’s a strong choice when you need high-pH selectivity control (to manipulate ionization state) without giving up speed or efficiency.

• You need high-pH operation for ionizable compounds (improve selectivity or peak shape)
• Your method runs in buffered pH conditions above typical silica limits
• You want a C18 workflow without switching to polymeric columns

Poroshell 120 HPH-C18 is designed to maintain performance across a broad pH window up to pH 11, making it a practical C18 option for high-pH method development where selectivity and peak shape depend on analyte ionization.

• You want a high-pH-capable C18 for ionizable analytes
• Changing pH is part of your selectivity strategy
• You need solid-core speed and efficiency with pH flexibility

Poroshell 120 HPH-C8 combines reduced retention (C8) with broad pH flexibility up to pH 11. It’s often selected when you need both speed and pH-driven selectivity control for ionizable compounds.

• You need faster elution than C18 but also want high-pH flexibility
• Hydrophobic analytes retain too strongly on C18 under high-pH buffered conditions
• You want robust method development space across pH

Poroshell 120 Bonus-RP is a polar-embedded reversed-phase chemistry designed to improve retention and peak shape for more polar analytes while maintaining classic RP behavior. It can reduce issues like poor early-peak resolution and can help when you need more polar retention without going full HILIC.

• Polar analytes have weak retention on standard C18
• You need improved peak shape for polar/ionizable compounds in RP
• You want an orthogonal RP option that still feels “C18-like” operationally

Poroshell 120 PFP provides alternative selectivity beyond alkyl phases, commonly improving separation of aromatic, halogenated, and structurally similar compounds. PFP chemistries often change elution order versus C18/C8, which can solve coelutions without changing pH or mobile phase class.

• Critical pairs coelute on C18/C8 and you need a selectivity “reset”
• You are separating aromatic, halogenated, or positional isomers
• You want orthogonal RP selectivity without moving to HILIC

Poroshell 120 Phenyl-Hexyl adds aromatic selectivity (π–π interactions) on a solid-core platform, making it a go-to “selectivity rescue” phase when aromatic compounds or isomers coelute on C18.

• Aromatic analytes coelute on C18/C8
• You need an alternate retention order without changing pH
• You are resolving structural/positional isomers
• You want orthogonal RP selectivity for LC-MS workflows

Poroshell 120 SB-Aq is engineered for strong reversed-phase performance under high-aqueous conditions, including 100% water. It is designed to improve retention and peak shape for polar compounds while resisting issues associated with highly aqueous mobile phases.

• Your method uses very high aqueous content (including 100% water)
• You need improved polar retention in a reversed-phase workflow
• You want an aqueous-stable alternative to standard C18/C8 phases

Poroshell 120 EC-CN is a cyanopropyl phase that can be used in reversed-phase for alternative selectivity (especially for polar to mid-polar compounds) and in normal-phase for strong retention and peak shape for nonpolar analytes. It’s a versatile choice when you need a different interaction profile than C18/C8.

• You need alternate selectivity for polar/midpolar compounds in RP
• You want dual-mode flexibility (RP or NP) using one chemistry family
• C18/C8 cannot resolve the selectivity problem

Poroshell 120 HILIC-Z targets highly polar and charged analytes using hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC), on a solid-core platform that improves efficiency and helps manage pressure. It is designed for rugged performance under high pH or high temperature, supporting orthogonal selectivity versus reversed-phase methods.

• Polar analytes do not retain in reversed-phase
• You need strong retention of highly polar or charged compounds
• LC-MS workflows require high organic mobile phases (HILIC conditions)
• You want orthogonal selectivity to C18/C8 without ion-pairing

Practical note: HILIC methods require sufficient equilibration time after gradient changes; stable water content and buffer strength are key for reproducibility.

Poroshell 120 HILIC provides a general HILIC option for retention of polar compounds under high organic conditions. It delivers orthogonal selectivity versus reversed-phase and is commonly used for polar metabolites, small polar pharmaceuticals, and hydrophilic impurities.

• You need HILIC retention for polar compounds
• Reversed-phase does not retain early-eluting polar peaks
• You want an orthogonal separation mode to validate selectivity

Poroshell 120 HILIC-OH5 provides an alternative selectivity to other HILIC phases for polar analytes, useful when a standard HILIC chemistry does not deliver the desired retention order or peak shape. It is commonly used for polar method development and orthogonal confirmation.

• You need a different HILIC selectivity than standard HILIC phases
• Polar compounds require improved retention order or peak shape
• You want orthogonal selectivity for method robustness

Note: HILIC-OH5 and Poroshell 120 chiral phases are typically pressure-limited versus many RP Poroshell formats—verify system and method limits before scaling flow.

Poroshell 120 Chiral-V is a chiral stationary phase designed for enantiomeric separations across multiple modes (reversed-phase, polar ionic, normal phase, or polar organic). It is often selected for complex basic and neutral compounds where chiral recognition requires multiple interaction mechanisms.

• You need a broad-utility chiral phase for diverse compound classes
• Basic or complex analytes require strong chiral recognition
• You want flexibility across multiple separation modes during screening

Poroshell 120 Chiral-T is a teicoplanin-based chiral stationary phase widely used for enantiomeric separations, especially for compound classes such as beta blockers, amino acids, and related polar/ionizable structures. It supports reversed-phase, polar ionic, and polar organic modes for screening and optimization.

• You are screening chiral separations for polar/ionizable analytes
• Compounds resemble beta blockers, amino acids, profens, or hydroxyl acids
• You want multiple mode options for method development

Poroshell 120 Chiral-CD uses a cyclodextrin-based chiral selector to provide chiral recognition often effective for compounds that fit inclusion/host-guest interaction profiles. It is commonly applied to select stimulants, fungicides, and protected amino acids using reversed-phase or polar organic modes.

• Chiral analytes match cyclodextrin-friendly structures (inclusion behavior)
• You are screening stimulants, fungicides, or protected amino acids
• You want an orthogonal chiral selector to complement glycopeptide phases

Poroshell 120 Chiral-CF uses a cyclofructan-based chiral selector that is commonly effective for primary amines. It supports polar organic or normal-phase modes and is often used as a targeted chiral screening tool when amine functionality drives chiral recognition.

• Your target analytes are primary amines or amine-rich structures
• You want a cyclofructan selector as an orthogonal chiral option
• You plan to run polar organic or normal-phase screening conditions