Thermo Scientific Accucore HPLC Columns

Significance of the Topic

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) remains a cornerstone of analytical chemistry for fast, high-resolution separations of small molecules, peptides and biomolecules. Advances in particle design can dramatically boost laboratory throughput, sensitivity and method robustness without requiring expensive ultrahigh-pressure instrumentation. Core Enhanced Technology, based on solid-core particles, represents an important development that addresses limitations of fully porous materials and enables faster, more efficient separations with lower system backpressure.

Objectives and Study Overview

This technical manual describes the development, characterization and application of the Thermo Scientific Accucore HPLC column family. Key aims are to:

• Explain the principles of Core Enhanced Technology and particle evolution.
• Compare separation performance against traditional 5 µm, 3 µm and sub-2 µm fully porous media.
• Demonstrate method transfer, system compatibility and column robustness.
• Showcase applications across small molecules, environmental analytes, peptides, proteins and glycans.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Core Enhanced Technology uses 2.6 µm or 4 µm solid-core particles featuring a dense silica core and a controlled porous shell. Key features include:

• Tight particle size distribution to minimize eddy diffusion (A term).
• Reduced porous layer depth to limit resistance to mass transfer (C term) and longitudinal diffusion (B term).
• Automated high-precision column packing for uniform bed density.
• Advanced phase-bonding techniques to ensure robust, reproducible stationary phases.

Instrumentation range covers:

• Standard HPLC systems (≤400 bar).
• UHPLC systems (up to 1000 bar).
• NanoLC platforms with fingertight nanoViper™ connections.

Main Results and Discussion

1. Elevated Efficiency and Lower Backpressure
Accucore 2.6 µm columns out-perform 5 µm and 3 µm fully porous materials, achieving higher theoretical plate counts and sharper peaks at moderate system pressures.

2. Faster Separations and Higher Throughput
By leveraging high efficiency, run times can be reduced by 50–70%, and solvent consumption cut by up to seven-fold, without loss of resolution.

3. Enhanced Peak Capacity and Sensitivity
Narrow peaks deliver 30–60% greater peak capacity and 100–200% improved signal-to-noise over conventional media, enabling detection of low-level analytes and complex mixtures.

4. Broad-Range Selectivity
Fourteen distinct Accucore phases (C18, RP-MS, C8, aQ, Polar Premium, Phenyl-Hexyl, PFP, Phenyl-X, C30, HILIC, Urea-HILIC, 150-Amide-HILIC, 150-C4, 150-C18) cover diverse chemistries from nonpolar to highly hydrophilic, including specialized phases for peptides, proteins and glycans.

5. Method Transfer and System Compatibility
Minimal adjustments are required to migrate existing HPLC methods to Accucore columns. Solid-core technology enables use on conventional HPLC without exceeding 400 bar, preserving method suitability in regulated environments.

6. Long-Term Stability and Robustness
Columns withstand extreme pH (2–10) and elevated temperatures (up to 70 °C), with stable retention, efficiency and peak shape over thousands of injections.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Rapid, high-resolution analyses boost sample throughput in QA/QC and high-volume laboratories.
• Improved sensitivity aids trace-level quantitation in environmental, pharmaceutical and clinical testing.
• Wide pH and temperature stability supplies flexibility for diverse separations, including biomolecules and lipid isomers.
• Guard cartridge and nanoViper options protect columns and facilitate nanoLC-MS workflows.

Future Trends and Applications

Ongoing developments may include integrated core-shell phases for ultrahigh-throughput screening, further optimization for direct coupling to high-resolution mass spectrometry and expansion into microfluidic and two-dimensional separations. Enhanced particle chemistries for chiral separations and intact protein characterization are also anticipated.

Conclusion

Accucore HPLC columns, built on Core Enhanced Technology, deliver a transformative combination of speed, efficiency and robustness across a broad range of separations. Their compatibility with conventional HPLC and UHPLC systems makes them an accessible, cost-effective upgrade for laboratories seeking to maximize productivity and analytical performance.

Reference

Tanaka N., et al., “Evaluation of Chromatographic Packing Materials,” Journal of Chromatographic Science, 27, 721–727 (1989).