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GC ACCESSORIES |
INSTRUMENT SUPPLIES
Connectors
Restek Press-Tight® Connectors
Obtaining a leak-tight seal:
To achieve optimum performance from these connectors, begin with a properly cut
fused silica column or retention gap end. Even if you use polyimide resin (cat.# 20445,
page 228)for extra insurance, a poorly cut capillary column will make an inadequate
seal.
Press the cut ends into the connector, then establish a flow, and leak-check the seal with
a Restek® electronic leak detector (cat.# 22655,
page 220)before heating the system.
What is the maximum temperature for a Press-Tight® connector?
Press-Tight® connectors are effective at oven temperatures up to 325 °C, the tem-
perature at which the polyimide coating on the column decomposes and the con-
nection will begin to leak. We strongly recommend using a Vu2 Union®
(page 229)or SeCure® “Y”
(page 230) connector if oven temperatures will exceed 325 °C for
prolonged periods of time.
Can Press-Tight® connectors be used with MXT® columns?
No. To achieve a leak-tight fused silica to stainless steel connection, we recommend an
MXT® connector (see
page 231).
Make a clean, square cut for optimum
connector performance. The cut on the
right will produce a poor seal.
A brown ring indicates a proper seal.
Press-Tight® connectors are lightweight, quickly installed, and easy to use. They
connect fused silica tubing having outside diameters ranging from 0.33 to 0.74 mm
(Restek® 0.1 to 0.53 mm ID). Press-Tight® connectors do not cause solvent tailing, or
adsorb active compounds.
Press-Tight® connectors most often are used to connect a guard column to an ana-
lytical column. They also are used to connect columns differing in polarity, for unique
separations, or to repair a broken column.
*Additional cost will be added to the price of the column.
Let Restek Make the Connection!
Guard column connected
to an analytical column using
a Vu2 Union® connector.
Secure, reliable
column-to-column
connections!
Restek will connect a guard column/transfer line to any analytical
column, using a Vu2 Union® connector. We will leak-check the con-
nection and confirm analytical integrity by analyzing a test mixture.
To order a preconnected guard column/transfer line, add the three-
digit suffix from the chart below to any analytical column catalog
number. Example: A 5 m, 0.32 mm ID guard column connected to a
30 m, 0.32 mm ID, 1.0 µm Rtx®-5 column is cat.# 10254-163.
Guard columns
listed are
intermediate
polarity (IP)
deactivated.
For more
information
about guard
columns, see
pages 18–19.
5m Guard Column ID cat.# suffix Additional Cost*
0.15 mm
-160
0.18 mm
-161
0.25 mm
-162
0.32 mm
-163
0.53 mm
-164
10m Guard Column ID cat.# suffix Additional Cost*
0.25 mm
-165
0.32 mm
-166
0.53 mm
-167
Our attention to detail is why Restek® products
are known for quality and reliability.