Thermo Scientific Hypersil GOLD HPLC columns

Importance of the topic

High performance liquid chromatography remains a cornerstone of modern analytical chemistry for pharmaceuticals, environmental monitoring, food safety, and biopharmaceutical research. Stationary phase design directly influences peak shape, sensitivity, retention control, and method robustness. The availability of a comprehensive column family covering reversed-phase, ion-exchange, normal-phase, and HILIC chemistries supports efficient method development and routine analyses across diverse laboratories.

Study objectives and overview

This whitepaper describes the development, manufacturing, and performance characteristics of the Thermo Scientific Hypersil GOLD HPLC column family. Drawing on over 40 years of media expertise, the study outlines the chemical bonding process, phase range, particle sizes, and recommended applications. Emphasis is placed on achieving consistent peak symmetry, reproducibility, and extended pH stability.

Methodology and instrumentation used

The Hypersil GOLD silica undergoes rigorous acid/base cleaning, proprietary bonding, and end-capping in ISO 9001 accredited facilities. Quality control includes measurement of carbon load, surface area, pore size, and tailing factors. Typical performance evaluations employ HPLC and UHPLC systems equipped with UV detectors (190–400 nm), refractive index detectors, and electrospray mass spectrometers. Gradient and isocratic tests span pH 1.8 to 11 on columns packed with 1.9, 3, 5, or 12 µm particles.

Main results and discussion

Key performance features of the Hypersil GOLD column family:

• Reversed-phase C18 (USP L1) media with reduced silanol activity delivers sharp, symmetrical peaks for acidic, neutral, and basic analytes.
• C8 and C4 phases offer shorter chain selectivity, reduced retention, and faster run times for medium to highly hydrophobic compounds.
• aQ phase supports 100% aqueous mobile phases and enhanced polar analyte retention via polar end-capping.
• PFP and Phenyl phases provide unique pi-pi interactions for aromatic and halogenated compounds, enabling alternative selectivity.
• CN phase offers lower hydrophobicity and dual-mode capability for reversed and normal-phase separations.
• Amino, AX, and SAX phases deliver weak and strong anion-exchange capacity for organic acids, nucleotides, and carbohydrates; compatible with HILIC and aqueous mobile phases.
• Silica and HILIC phases enhance normal-phase retention of non-polar and hydrophilic analytes, respectively, and are highly compatible with MS detection.
• Sub-2 µm particles across all phases maximize efficiency, resolution, and speed on UHPLC systems while remaining compatible with conventional HPLC.

Benefits and practical applications

Hypersil GOLD columns have demonstrated:

• Improved peak symmetry and sensitivity for basic pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, and endocrine disruptors.
• Reproducible long-term performance over thousands of injections at extreme pH.
• Rapid screening of food additives, vitamins, pesticides, PAHs, and banned amines with high throughput columns.
• Efficient separation of peptides, nucleotides, and organic acids in biopharma and clinical research.
• Scale-up pathways to preparative columns and guard cartridges that protect analytical columns and reduce downtime.

Future trends and possibilities

Ongoing developments include ultra-high pressure systems with extended backpressure tolerances, further miniaturization for micro- and nano-LC, integration with high-resolution mass spectrometry, and automated method scouting with digital tools. Emerging applications in metabolomics, impurity profiling, and real-time monitoring will benefit from flexible column chemistries and rapid gradient technologies.

Conclusion

The Thermo Scientific Hypersil GOLD column family delivers a versatile, high-performance solution for modern LC and LC-MS workflows. Through optimized silica purity, robust bonding, and a broad chemistry range, these columns ensure consistent peak shape, sensitivity, and long-term stability, supporting method development and routine assays across multiple industries.