Shim-pack™ NovaCore C18-HB

Significance of the Topic

Effective liquid chromatography separations across a wide pH range are essential for reliable analysis of acidic and basic compounds. Organic silica hybrid core–shell columns extend operational pH limits while delivering high efficiency and low backpressure, supporting more robust and versatile analytical methods.

Objectives and Overview

This study presents the design and performance evaluation of the Shim-pack NovaCore C18-HB column, which combines an organic silica hybrid base with core–shell particle architecture to achieve stable separations from pH 1 to 12. The main goals are to demonstrate enhanced column lifetime under strong alkaline conditions, faster high-resolution separations, and straightforward scalability across column formats.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The NovaCore C18-HB columns are packed with core–shell particles in sizes from 1.7 to 5 µm and column IDs from 2.1 mm to 4.6 mm. Performance tests were conducted on standard HPLC systems using various mobile phase conditions:

• 50 mmol/L triethylamine in water (pH 11.5)/methanol 90/10 (v/v)
• Acetonitrile/water 70/30 (v/v)
• 25 mmol/L phosphate buffer (pH 2.5)/acetonitrile 65/35 (v/v)

The columns were compared against fully porous C18 columns of equivalent dimensions under identical flow rates and detection settings.

Main Results and Discussion

Under strongly basic conditions (pH 11.5), NovaCore C18-HB columns retained over 97 percent of theoretical plates after extended runtime, showing a 2–3× longer lifetime than conventional silica C18 phases. Core–shell architecture enabled sharper peaks and reduced analysis times by more than half compared with fully porous columns, without compromising resolution. Scalability tests confirmed consistent selectivity and efficiency from microbore to standard bore formats, facilitating seamless method transfer.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Broad pH stability (1–12) eliminates the need for ion-pair reagents when analyzing basic compounds
• High efficiency and low backpressure support rapid, high-throughput analyses
• Consistent performance across multiple column formats simplifies method development and transfer
• Reduced solvent consumption and environmental impact due to shorter runtimes

Future Trends and Potential Applications

Organic silica hybrid core–shell columns are poised to advance pharmaceutical, environmental, and metabolomic workflows by enabling high-pH separations and seamless coupling with mass spectrometry. Future innovations may focus on ultra-high-pressure systems, further miniaturization for microflow applications, and tailored phase chemistries for large biomolecules and complex matrices.

Conclusion

Shim-pack NovaCore C18-HB core–shell columns represent a significant evolution in HPLC column technology, combining wide pH tolerance, superior separation performance, and versatile scalability. These qualities streamline method development and deliver reliable results across diverse analytical applications.

References

Shimadzu Corporation. Shim-pack NovaCore C18-HB Application Note C190-E329, March 2025