Restek Press-Tight® Connectors
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 analyti-
cal column. They also are used to connect columns differing in polarity, for unique
separations, or to repair a broken column.
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 288) 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.# 22839, page 273) before heating the system.
The seal is made permanent as the polyimide resin coating on the column bonds to the
inner surface of the connector after several thermal cycles to 200 °C.
What is the maximum temperature for a Press-Tight® connector?
Press-Tight® connectors are effective at oven temperatures to 325 °C, the temperature
at which the polyimide coating on the column decomposes and the connection will
begin to leak. We strongly recommend using a Vu2 Union® (page 289) or SeCure® “Y”
Connector (page 290) 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 292).
287
GC ACCESSORIES |
COLUMN INSTALLATION
Connectors
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.
*Additional cost will be added to the price of the column.
A brown ring indicates a proper seal.
Make a clean, square cut for optimum
connector performance. The cut on the
right will produce a poor seal.
Let Restek Make the Connection!
Guard column connected
to an analytical column using
a Vu2 Union® connector.
Secure, reliable
column-to-column
connections!
5m Guard Column
cat.# suffix Additional Cost*
0.15mm ID
-160
0.18mm ID
-161
0.25mm ID
-162
0.32mm ID
-163
0.53mm ID
-164
10m Guard Column
cat.# suffix Additional Cost*
0.25mm ID
-165
0.32mm ID
-166
0.53mm ID
-167
Guard columns listed
are intermediate
polarity (IP)
deactivated.
For more informa-
tion about guard
columns and other
deactivations, see
pages 31–35
.
Turn the page for a complete list of
Restek Press-Tight® Connectors.
Website :
E-mail :
TelNo : 03 9762 2034 . . . in AUSTRALIA
Mar 2011
