Polaris

Agilent Polaris HPLC Columns

Agilent Polaris HPLC columns are engineered specifically for high-aqueous reversed-phase separations—an essential requirement as modern drug discovery and biochemical workflows continue to shift toward increasingly polar analytes. Built on ultra-pure Type B silica with advanced silanol shielding and high-density bonding, Polaris columns deliver exceptional peak shape, stable retention, and reliable performance even under demanding low-organic conditions.

The Polaris family offers multiple polar-modified chemistries to provide enhanced retention, reduced secondary interactions, and improved selectivity for challenging polar compounds:

Polaris C18-A — The flagship starting point when polar-modified selectivity is needed. Designed to prevent poor peak shape and phase collapse in high-aqueous mobile phases.
Polaris C8-A — Offers lower hydrophobicity and alternate selectivity for polar samples, delivering faster run times and excellent peak shape.
Polaris C18-Ether — Enhanced retention for polar analytes and improved separation away from the void volume; ideal for compounds inadequately resolved on standard C18.
Polaris C8-Ether — Provides unique selectivity for hydrogen-bonding analytes and challenging compound classes.
Polaris Amide C18 — Embedded amide functionality introduces subtle but valuable selectivity differences without the steric protection seen in conventional embedded-group phases.

From collapse-resistant pore structures to wettability-enhanced bonded phases, every aspect of the Polaris design supports robust performance in high-aqueous environments. The result is stable retention, reproducible chromatography, and superior peak shape across a wide range of polar compounds—making Polaris a trusted solution for pharmaceutical, environmental, food, and metabolomics applications requiring dependable reversed-phase separations under low-organic conditions.

For assistance selecting the right Polaris column for your workflow, contact Chrom Tech or speak with our technical support specialists.

Key Definitions ▸

Polar-Modified Reversed-Phase Columns

Reversed-phase materials engineered with polar functional groups to improve peak shape, retention, and stability under highly aqueous mobile phase conditions. Essential for analytes prone to early elution or poor interaction on standard alkyl phases.

Aqueous-Compatible Bonding

A bonding technology designed to prevent phase collapse in low-organic mobile phases—critical for polar compounds requiring retention under 100% aqueous or near-aqueous conditions.

Silanol Shielding

Techniques such as endcapping, embedded polar groups, or dense bonding that mask reactive silanol sites to reduce tailing—especially for basic analytes prone to secondary interactions with silica surfaces.

Alternative Selectivity

A chromatographic behavior distinct from standard C18 or C8 phases, often driven by polar groups, ether linkages, amide embedding, or aromatic modifiers—valuable when resolving isomers, polar analytes, or hydrogen-bonding species.

High-Purity Type B Silica

Low-metal, ultra-pure silica used in modern LC columns to minimize unwanted interactions, suppress tailing, and improve reproducibility across acidic, neutral, and basic compounds.

Frequently Asked Questions ▸

What makes Agilent Polaris columns ideal for highly aqueous mobile phases?

Polaris columns use polar-modified bonding, ultra-pure silica, and collapse-resistant pore structures to maintain retention under 100% aqueous conditions—preventing phase collapse, shifting retention, and poor wetting common in traditional reversed-phase columns.

Which Polaris phase should I choose for polar or early-eluting analytes?

Polaris C18-A and C18-Ether offer enhanced retention for polar compounds, while Polaris C8-A provides faster analysis for very polar samples. Polaris Amide C18 delivers subtle selectivity changes for analytes prone to hydrogen bonding.

Are Polaris columns suitable for drug discovery and modern polar compound libraries?

Yes. Polaris phases were specifically designed for today’s highly polar discovery compounds. They provide strong aqueous retention, minimal secondary interactions, and consistent peak shape—ideal for pharmaceutical method development and high-throughput screening.

Product List

SKU	Name	LC Column Phase	Particle Size	Inner Diameter (ID)	Length
SKU A2030MG	Name A2030MG - MetaGuard 4.6mm Polaris C8-Ether 5u	LC Column Phase	Particle Size 5 um	Inner Diameter (ID)	Length
SKU A2020050X046	Name A2020050X046 - Polaris 5 C18-Ether 50 x 4.6mm	LC Column Phase C18-Ether	Particle Size 5 um	Inner Diameter (ID) 4.6 mm	Length 50 mm
SKU A2011MG2	Name A2011MG2 - MetaGuard 2.0mm Polaris C8-A 3u	LC Column Phase	Particle Size 3.0 um	Inner Diameter (ID)	Length
SKU A2007150X046	Name A2007150X046 - Polaris 3 Amide-C18 150 x 4.6mm	LC Column Phase Amide-C18	Particle Size 3 um	Inner Diameter (ID) 4.6 mm	Length 150 mm
SKU A2030250X100	Name A2030250X100 - Polaris C8-Ether 5u 250 x 10.0mm	LC Column Phase C8-Ether	Particle Size 5 um	Inner Diameter (ID) 10 mm	Length 250 mm
SKU A2011MG	Name A2011MG - MetaGuard 4.6mm Polaris C8-A 3u	LC Column Phase	Particle Size 3.0 um	Inner Diameter (ID)	Length
SKU A2020050X020	Name A2020050X020 - Polaris 5 C18-Ether 50 x 2.0mm	LC Column Phase C18-Ether	Particle Size 5 um	Inner Diameter (ID) 2 mm	Length 50 mm
SKU A2030250X040	Name A2030250X040 - Polaris 5 C8-Ether 250 x 4.0mm	LC Column Phase	Particle Size 5 um	Inner Diameter (ID)	Length 250 mm
SKU A2007150X030	Name A2007150X030 - Polaris 3 Amide-C18 150 x 3.0mm	LC Column Phase Amide-C18	Particle Size 3 um	Inner Diameter (ID) 3 mm	Length 150 mm
SKU A2011250X020	Name A2011250X020 - Polaris 3 C8-A 250 x 2.0mm	LC Column Phase C8-A	Particle Size 3 um	Inner Diameter (ID) 2 mm	Length 250 mm
SKU A2030250X030	Name A2030250X030 - Polaris 5 C8-Ether 250 x 3.0mm	LC Column Phase	Particle Size 5 um	Inner Diameter (ID)	Length 250 mm
SKU A2007150X020	Name A2007150X020 - Polaris 3 Amide-C18 150 x 2.0mm	LC Column Phase Amide-C18	Particle Size 3 um	Inner Diameter (ID) 2 mm	Length 150 mm

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