Properties of Metals

Select a material to jump to specific discussions. Select a material to jump to specific discussions.

Stainless steel, Type 316

This is the standard tubing material for chromatography, suitable for a wide variety of applications. It is cold drawn seamless, not welded, with close tolerances held on both ID and OD. We neither recommend nor offer Type 304 stainless steel for analytical applications.

Austenitic stainless steels may be used for most chromatographic applications. Type 316 is most commonly used for HPLC because of its superior chloride ion resistance.

Stainless steel, Type 303

Recommended for GC use and general purpose connections, combining excellent machining characteristics with good resistance to corrosion and high temperature oxidation. Susceptible to attach by chlorides, iodides, and bromides.

Electroformed nickel (EFNI)

We electroplate pure nickel over a diamond drawn mandrel in a continuous process, then carefully separate and remove the mandrel from the tubing. The result is an extremely inert and smooth (1-2 microinch finish) interior surface. It is widely used for transfer lines, since it minimizes the potential for carryover or cross contamination often found with mill drawn Nickel 200, due to its rough interior surface. Unlike glass or silica-lined stainless, EFNI can easily accept tight bends and cutting without heating, and does not release damaging glass fragments or silica particles. Electroformed nickel has more in common with fused silica than drawn nickel tubing in terms of surface inertness and smoothness.

Titanium

Although it is more difficult to machine than common alloys containing aluminum and vanadium, VICI uses Grade 2 pure titanium in order to avoid possible contamination of the sample stream with these metals. Good for organic and inorganic salts except aluminum and calcium chlorides, and all alkalis except boiling concentrated potassium hydroxide.

Good with dilute, low temperature formic, lactic, sulfuric, hydrochloric, and phosphoric acids, but rapidly attacked by hydrofluoric acid. Good with dilute nitric acid at low temperatures; corrodes at high concentrations and temperatures. Can ignite with fuming nitric acid. Attacked by oxalic acid, concentrated phosphoric acid, hot trichloroacetic acid, and zinc chloride.