Jaytee are proud to distribute the full range of Trajan GC ferrules, unions and splitters – essential for your gas chromatography analysis.
With the best UK pricing available, and delivery times between 3-4 working days, we believe our value added technical service is second to none.
Reliable seal | Precision | Ultra clean
Trajan manufacture a wide variety of standard and special GC ferrules and fittings under their brands SGE and CRS.
Considerations in ferrule selection include:
- Leak free seal
- Accommodate various column ODs
- Seal with minimum torque
- Non-stick to column or fittings
- Withstand temperature cycling
- Ease of use and re-application
| MATERIAL | RANGES | USES | ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graphite | CRS Graphite | FID & NPD, General purpose for capilliary column, High temperature, Cool on-column | • Easy-to-use stable seal • High temperature limit • Easily removed • Reusable | • Not for MS or oxygen-sensitive detectors • Soft, easily deformed or destroyed • Possible system contamination |
| 15% Graphite / 85% Vespel | CRS Vespel®-graphite | General purpose for glass packed & capilliary column, MS and oxygen sensitive detectors | • Long lifetime • High temperature limit • MS compatible • Reliable & leak free connections | • Cannot be re-used • Must be re-tightened after initial temperature cycle |
| Vespel (Polymide) | CRS Vespel® | Isothermal operation, For glass or metal connections, External | • Reliable connections • Easy to remove at temperature • Reusable & remakeable | • Cannot be re-used • Must be re-tightened after initial temperature cycle |
| PTFE | CRS PTFE | External connections (not carrier gas), Valve actuator gas lines, Low temperature | • Soft • Re-usable • Seals with little pressure | • Can shrink at elevated temperatures – must re-tighten regularly • Can glue connections together if too hot |
| Metal | SGE SilTiteTM | For injectors, atmospheric, detectors & GCMS | • Cost effective • Continuous leak-free connections • Hundreds of temperature cycles | • Non-standard |
| Chemically Deactivated Stainless Steel (Inert) | SGE SilTite FingerTite® | Every injector & detector & GCMS | • Easy, leak-free installation for capillary columns without the use of any tools • Simplifies the column installation process • No tools required | • Non-standard |
| SGE SilTite μ-Union | Connecting columns without the complication of conventional connectors | • Connects tubing without leakage from temperature cycling • Avoids pieces of the ferrule getting stuck inside the tubing | • Non-standard | |
| SGE SilFlowTM | Column & detector splitting, Backflush, Replaces tee-piece | • Chemically inert • Low dead volume • Superb operational stability • Easy to install • Leak free | • More expensive • Specific applications |
1. Graphite Ferrules
CRS graphite ferrules have been designed for GC systems on the inlet and detector ends – since graphite will not stick to the column it allows easy removal and reinsertion. These graphite ferrules should not be used with GC/MS instruments because of permeability to air.
Key Features
- Made from high purity exfoliated 100% graphite.
- Seals with minimal torque and can be frequently reused if not over compressed.
- Graphite ferrules do not shrink in use but are very soft and must be packed and handled with care.
2. 15% Graphite / 85% Vespel
CRS Vespel -graphite ferrules have been designed with high-temperature tolerance in order to reduce sticking and shrinking. The ferrules can be reused and repositioned along capillary columns if not over-compressed in the fitting. They are rated to 400°C.
Key Features
- Made from polyimide/graphite blended compounds.
- They seal with minimal torque and can be reused and repositioned along capillary columns if not over-compressed in the fitting.
- Due to slight shrinking at high temperatures, they must be retightened after initial temperature cycles to avoid leaks.
3. Vespel (Polymade)
CRS Vespel have been desiged for creating excellent seals on metal or glass and to have long lifetimes.
100% Vespel is essentially non-porous to oxygen so it is ideal for GC/MS interface use, where air permeation can raise the background signal and contribute to phase degradation. These ferrules also work best in connections that are isothermal or insulated from oven temperature changes. They are rated for use up to 350°C.
Key Features
- Made from high temperature Dupont polyimide, a hard polymeric material that tends to seal permanently to capillary columns when in use.
- They are not reusable.
- Vespel tends to shrink through repeated heating and cooling cycles.
- Hardest of the polymeric ferrules so a firm torque is required to compress and seal.
4. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
CRS PTFE ferrules are soft, completely inert, and have very low friction. The ferrules are hydrophobic and have been designed for use in liquid applications and external connections (not carrier gas), valve actuator gas line and low temperature applications. They are rated for use up to 250°C.
Key Features
- Made from 100% PTFE.
- Soft and can seal with little pressure.
- Re-usable.
- Completely inert.
- Very low friction.
5. SilTite™ Metal Nuts & Ferrules
SGE has developed this metal ferrule system that can be used with fused silica GC columns. The SilTite ferrules are used in conjunction with a special nut that is supplied with the ferrule.
The geometry of the nut and ferrule combination makes it possible to swage the end of the ferrule to the fused silica tubing. This creates a leak-free seal that never needs re-tightening – even after 400 temperature cycles between 70ºC and 400ºC. Since it is a metal ferrule, the risk of contaminating your MS source is completely eliminated.
Key Features
- Minimises installation time.
- Eliminates leaks.
- Hundreds of temperature cycles without replacement.
- Removes contamination caused by Vespel ® or graphite ferrules.
- No need to re-tighten Vespel ferrules after temperature cycling.
- Reduce air background.
- Cleaner Spectra for better library matches.
6. SilTite™ FingerTite Ferrules
SGE has developed the FingerTite system for GCMS systems, delivering an easy, leak-free installation for capillary columns without the use of any tools – it simplifies your column installation process giving you less hassle and more time for chromatography.
Key Features
- High mechanical strength.
- No temperature limit.
- Strong grip strength on the column.
- No re-tightening after installation.
- No tools required for installation and removal.
- Permanent positioning of ferrule.
- No deterioration.
- Cannot break the capillary column with over-tightening.
- No column creep.
- Chemically inert.
7. SilTite™ μ-Union
SGE has developed the μ-Union system to connect columns without the complications of conventional connectors.
Key Features
- Allows for tubing to be connected without concern of leakage from temperature cycling or fear of getting pieces of the ferrule stuck inside the tubing. Low thermal mass: 9 mm in length and mass < 0.5 g.
- Available in kits to connect a range of columns from 0.1 mm ID through to 0.53 mm ID.
8. SilFlow™ Splitters
If you are looking to move from a tubing based flow system to a planar microchannel system in order to deliver flexible chromatography solutions, the SGE SilFlow™ system is for you.
There are SilFlow™ microchannel device (MCD) options for 3 port GC splitters (allowing flow splitting options with three different configurations), 4 port GC splitters (offering similar configuration flexibility as the 3 port solution) and a Dean’s switch MCD, perfect for multidimensional analyses.
Innovative in design and fabrication, SilFlow™ is a highly efficient and reliable micro fluidic platform that improves your GC connectivity to enable maximum chromatography performance.
Key Features
- Chemically inert (chemically deactivated stainless steel).
- Low dead volume.
- Design alleviates cold spots and sample condensation.
- Can be used with SilTite™ ferrules for optimised peaks.
- Superb operational stability.
- Easy to install and leak free.
- Can be operated at pressures greater than 25,000 psi (170,000 kPa).
