Chemical Analysis

Solutions for Purification / SFE &  SFC 

 

Purification / SFE & SFC - Key Technologies

Supercritical Fluid Chromatography (SFC)

 

SFC: A Greener Approach to Analytical and Purification Applications

 

For laboratories overwhelmed with solvent disposal and time-consuming solvent cleanup, supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) is a beneficial alternative to purification and analytical applications. Considered a leading "green" purification technology, SFC systems from Waters are used to separate and isolate chiral and achiral chemical compounds using various methods of detection.

 

The principles of SFC are similar to those of liquid chromatography, however SFC typically uses carbon dioxide as the main mobile phase. SFC is essentially a normal-phase chromatographic technique with inherent high speed and efficiency due to its mobile phase. As a high pressure liquid, or supercritical fluid, using CO2 is a smart solvent for its low viscosity and high diffusivity needed in today's demanding purification labs and also a sustainable solvent as it is reused after being discarded from other industrial processes.

 

SFC excels at separating and purifying chiral compounds and natural products because it's faster, uses much less solvent, and overall is a less expensive and greener method that exceeds high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) in performance for chiral separations.Whether you're just looking to analyze chiral compounds or need to purify those compounds, Waters has the solution that fits your needs.that fits your needs.

 

Investigator SFC System For when you need to purify a large amount of single samples, but still do method development. The analytical/semi-prep Investigator SFC has the unique ability to isolate and collect less than 1 gram of a specific compound.

 

Prep 100q SFC System Waters Prep 100q SFC System is the only preparative scale, open-bed supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) system specifically designed for seamless, mass-triggered purification.

 

SFC 80/200/350 Preparative Systems Waters SFC 80, 200, and 350 Preparative systems for bulk-scale purification offer the optimal system for the amount of sample you need to purify. These systems easily allow you to purify a large amount of one sample.

 

ChromScope Software ChromScope Software can be used with systems configured for method development and purification and is available with Waters Method Station and Investigator SFC Systems.

Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE)

 

Waters' Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) Systems extract chemical compounds using supercritical carbon dioxide instead of an organic solvent. The supercritical fluid state occurs when a fluid is above its critical temperature (Tc) and critical pressure (Pc), when it is between the typical gas and liquid state. Manipulating the temperature and pressure of the fluid can solubilize the material of interest and selectively extract it. The sample is placed in an extraction vessel and pressurized with CO2 to dissolve the sample. Transferred to a fraction collector, the contents are depressurized and the CO2 loses its solvating power causing the desired material to precipitate. The condensed CO2 can be recycled.

 

SFE applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and fine chemical industries:

• Decaffeinating of coffee and tea

• Extraction of essential oils (vegetable and fish oils)

• Extraction of flavors from natural resources (nutraceuticals)

• Extraction of ingredients from spices and red peppers

• Extraction of fat from food products

• Fractionation of polymeric materials

• Extraction from natural products

• Photo–resist cleaning

• Precision part cleaning

 

MV-10 ASFE System The MV-10 ASFE System features accelerated, multi-vessel sample extraction, using environmentally friendly CO2 as the mobile phase, for a greener and more selective alternative to normal phase extractions.

 

Prep SFE Systems Waters' Prep Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) systems extract chemical compounds using supercritical carbon dioxide instead of an organic solvent.

Supercritical Fluid Bulk Delivery CO2 System

 

From a common, low-pressure bulk supply or cryogenic dewar, the Bulk CO2 Delivery System (BDS 500 Gas Delivery System) enables the user to deliver high pressure CO2 flow rates without noisy pneumatic pumps. In addition to supplying a steady flow of carbon dioxide to multiple instruments, the advantages of this package include a quieter electric motor driven pump, coriolis mass flow meter for flow monitoring from the supply and a large storage vessel for high-pressure carbon dioxide.

 

The storage vessel is equipped with a level sensor that maintains desired carbon dioxide level while eliminating pressure fluctuations. The control system features an easy-to-use touch screen interface that requires minimal attention. The user can receive detailed system operating parameters including consumption from the bulk supply at this interface along with diagnostic information. One or more cryogenic dewars can be manifolded for large intervals between supply changes. The safety features include automated shutdown, emergency stop, relief valves, and vent lines that can be safely piped away from the system. Finally, unlike other CO2 supply systems, Waters' BDS provides the user with total consumption data to maximize CO2 use per dewar based on mass flow.

 

BDS 500 Gas Delivery System specifications:

• Demand flow rate : Liquid CO2 at 500 grams/min max

• Pressure delivery: 60 to 65 bar at outlet (demand)

• Inlet pressure: 17.5 bar (250 psi) min

• Inlet temperature: -20 °C (normal dewar temperature)

• Max. bulk supply distance: 10 feet

• Sensors: Flow meter, flow switch, pressure, and temperature

• Safety: Relief valves and sensor monitoring