ACQUITY Advanced Polymer Chromatography (APC) System

ACQUITY Advanced Polymer Chromatography (APC) System

The highest performance for polymers and oligomers

The highest performance for polymers and oligomers

Today’s polymer scientists operate within an increasingly dynamic market space, one with a growing demand for high-performing materials, bio-material innovations, and intense competition. But the long run times of traditional chromatography polymer characterization has made keeping up with this demand a challenge for many labs.

Not anymore. With the next era in polymer separation, the ACQUITY Advanced Polymer Chromatography (APC) System, you can achieve the highest resolution size-based separations for chromatographic polymer and oligomer characterization, all faster than ever. With the ACQUITY APC System, you can improve data consistency and quality with fast, daily calibration, and automate your method development with advanced system technologies - so you can innovate faster while improving lab operations. 

Optimize method development through rapid solvent switching and aggressive solvent compatibility with the ACQUITY APC System. ACQUITY Advanced Polymer Chromatography (APC) System

Specifications

Dwell volume (total system)

≤400 μL (includes standard 100 μL mixer)

Gradient delay volume

≤300 μL (includes standard 100 μL mixer)

Integrated leak management

Leak sensors, as standard equipment, compatible with the supported solvents and safe leak handling; drip trays direct all leaks to the front of the instrument and into the waste line

Maximum operating pressure

0 to 1.0 mL/min: 15,000 psi

1.0 to 2.2 mL/min: 15,000–7,800 psi (linear)

Super synchronization

Synchronization between the solvent manager pistons enhances retention time reproducibility

Operating flow range

0.010 to 2.20 mL/min in 0.001 mL increments pH range 2 to 12

Unattended operation

Full 96-hour diagnostic data displayed through the instrument console software

Number of eluents

One standard, or six with optional solvent selection valve

Solvent conditioning

Two integrated, vacuum degassing channels, one of which is used for the SM-pFTN purge solvent

Primary check valve

Intelligent Intake Valve (i2 Valve)

Pump seal wash

Equipped with a wash system to flush the rear of the high-pressure seal and the plunger

Compressibility compensation

Automatic and continuous with no user intervention required

Solvent selection

Automatic up to six solvents (optional)

Flow ramping

0.01 to 30.00 min to reach 2.0 mL/min

Flow accuracy

±1.0% of set flow at 0.5 to 2.0 mL/min (both water and THF) with back pressure at 2000 psi ± 10%

Flow precision

<0.075% RSD or <0.020 min SD, whichever is greater based on six replicates of a polystyrene standard at 10-μL injection volume, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mL/min, 100% THF, ACQUITY APC XT 200 Å, 2.5 μm 4.6 x 150 mm, column at 40 °C, RI detection

Flow drift

Flow precision over 24 hrs: <0.2% RSD for 24 injections (one per hour) based on 24 replicates of a polystyrene standard at 10 μL injection volume, 1.0 mL/min, 100% THF, ACQUITY APC XT 200 Å, 2.5 μm 4.6 x 150 mm, column at 40 °C, RI detection

Priming

Automated priming at flow rate of 4 mL/min

Primary wetted materials

302 SS, 316 SS, Nitronic 60, titanium alloy, fluoropolymer, UHMWPE blend, fluoroelastomer, PPS, zirconia, ruby, sapphire, DLC, gold, PEEK, MP35N, PEEK blend, polyimide

Number of solvents

Blend up to four solvents in any miscible combination (standard)

Expanded solvent choices with optional six-port solvent select valve

Solvent degassing

Integrated vacuum degassing, four chambers

One additional chamber for the SM-FTN purge solvent

Solvent blending

Automated, on-line pH, ionic strength, and organic modifier blending from pure solvents with Auto•Blend™ Plus Technology

Gradient formation

Low-pressure mixing, quaternary gradient

Gradient profiles

11 gradient curves [including linear, step (2), concave (4), and convex (4)]

Primary check valve

Intelligent Intake Valve (i² Valve)

Flow accuracy

±1.0% at 0.5 to 2.0 mL/min using 100% A

Backpressure 1,000 psi ±200 psi with degassed H2O

Flow precision

<0.075% RSD or 0.020 min SD, whichever is greater, based on six replicates 60:40 H2O/MeOH via premix, 0.5 mL/min, alkylphenone mix (5.0 μL injection volume), ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18, 1.7 μm, 2.1 x 50 mm, 35 °C ±0.1 °C, UV @ 254 nm

Composition ripple (baseline noise)

<1.0 mAu (<0.1 mAU with optional 250.0 μL mixer) A: H2O + 0.1% TFA, B: ACN + 0.1% TFA, 0.5 mL/min, ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18, 1.7 μm, 2.1 x 50 mm UV @ 214 nm, 5 mm analytical flow cell

Composition accuracy

±0.5% absolute (full scale) from 5% to 90% from 0.2 to 2.0 mL/min

Degassed ACN/ACN with caffeine at 12 mg/L concentration, back pressure 2000 psi, step gradient method, UV at 273 nm

Composition precision

<0.15% RSD or ±0.04 min SD, whichever is greater, based on six replicate injections (with i² Valve)

60:40 H2O/MeOH via Auto•Blend Plus Technology, 0.5 mL/min, alkylphenone mix (5.0 μL 60:40 H2O/MeOH via Auto•Blend Plus Technology, 0.5 mL/min, alkylphenone mix (5.0 μL injection volume), ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18, 1.7 μm, 2.1 x 50 mm, 35 °C ± 0.1 °C, UV @ 254 nm

Compressibility compensation

Automatic and continuous

Priming

Wet priming can run at flow rates up to 4 mL/min

Pump seal wash

Equipped with an automated wash system to flush the rear of the high-pressure seal and the plunger

Flow ramping

Range: 0.01 to 30.00 min to reach 2.0 mL/min

Default: 0.45 min to reach 2.0 mL/min

Primary wetted materials

316 SS, NITRONIC® 60, titanium alloy, fluoropolymer, UHMWPE blend, fluoroelastomer, PPS, zirconia, ruby, sapphire, DLC, gold, MP35N, PEEK blend, polyimide

Solvent selection

Programable up to six solvents (optional)

Injection volume range

0.5 to 50.0 μL as standard

0.1 to 250.0 μL with optional extension loop

Injection needle wash

Integral, active, programmable

Number of sample plates

Two

Maximum sample capacity

96 in 2 mL vial holders. For more information see Waters Sample Vials and Accessories brochure

Injection accuracy (aspiration)

±0.2 μL, measured by water weight removed from vial with 10.0-μL injections over 20 injections using standard 100 μL syringe

Injection linearity

>0.999 based from 0.5 μL to 50 μL injections of a polystyrene standard, 0.5 mL/min, 100% THF, ACQUITY APC XT 200 Å, 2.5 μm 4.6 x 150 mm, column at 40 °C, RI detection

Injection precision

<0.5% RSD 2.0 to 50.0 μL based six replicates at each injection volume of a polystyrene standard, 0.5 mL/min, 100% THF, ACQUITY APC XT 200 Å, 2.5 μm 4.6 x 150 mm, column at 40 °C, RI detection

Sample compartment temperature range

4.0 °C to 40.0 °C, settable in 0.1 °C increments with a tolerance range between -2 °C and +4 °C

Temperature accuracy

±0.5 °C at the sample compartment temperature sensor

Temperature stability

±1.0 °C at the sample compartment temperature sensor

Sample carryover

<0.005% caffeine (UV) based on carryover after 4 mg/mL standard, 5 μL injection volume, 90/10 water/acetonitrile (for eluent, wash solvents, and diluent/blank), 0.6 mL/min, ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 1.7 μm 2.1 x 50 mm, column at 40°C, UV detection at 273 nm

Primary wetted materials

316 SS, PPS, polyimide, fluoropolymer

Column capacity

One bank of columns connected in series:

- Maximum of four 30 to 75 mm columns

- Maximum of three 150 mm columns

Two modules configurable per APC System

Valves

Optional valves for column switching, column bypass, waste, or solvent recycling

Solvent conditioning

Active pre-heating as standard

Column tracking

Individual eCord™ connectors for all columns in the bank

Temperature range

Controlled 4.0 °C to 90.0 °C settable in 0.1 °C increments

Time to temperature ready

12 min after door open 30 s, at internal temperature sensor after 1-hour thermal equilibrium at set point

Temperature accuracy

±0.5 °C measured at sensor on trough

Temperature precision

±0.1 °C measured at sensor on trough

Temperature stability

±0.3 °C measured at sensor on trough

Primary wetted materials (including optional valves)

PEEK, 316 SS, polyimide, fluoropolymer

Column switching with optional valves

- Up to 2 APC column banks (one bank per CM-S module)

- Up to 2 GPC column banks (two banks in CM-30S)

Column capacity

Support for one or two banks of up to four columns per bank:

- Maximum column length 300 mm, plus 50 mm guard column

- Maximum column I.D. 8 mm

Solvent conditioning

Passive pre-heating (standard)

Column tracking

Optional eCord connectors with support for up to four columns per bank

Temperature range

Settable 20 °C to 90 °C in 0.1 °C increments

Controllable (ambient +5 °C) to 90 °C

Time to temperature ready

12 min after door open 30 s, at internal temperature sensor after 1-hour thermal equilibration at 60 °C temperature set point, 25 °C ambient temperature.

Temperature accuracy

±0.5 °C measured at sensor

Temperature precision

±0.1 °C measured at sensor

Temperature stability

±0.3 °C measured at sensor

Primary wetted materials (including optional valves)

316 SS, DLC

Number of solvents

Blend up to four solvents in any miscible combination (standard)

Expanded solvent choices with optional six-port solvent select valve

Solvent degassing

Integrated vacuum degassing, four chambers

One additional chamber for the SM-FTN purge solvent

Solvent blending

Automated, on-line pH, ionic strength, and organic modifier blending from pure solvents with Auto•Blend™ Plus Technology

Gradient formation

Low-pressure mixing, quaternary gradient

Gradient profiles

11 gradient curves [including linear, step (2), concave (4), and convex (4)]

Primary check valve

Intelligent Intake Valve (i² Valve)

Flow accuracy

±1.0% at 0.5 to 2.0 mL/min using 100% A

Backpressure 1,000 psi ±200 psi with degassed H2O

Flow precision

<0.075% RSD or 0.020 min SD, whichever is greater, based on six replicates 60:40 H2O/MeOH via premix, 0.5 mL/min, alkylphenone mix (5.0 μL injection volume), ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18, 1.7 μm, 2.1 x 50 mm, 35 °C ±0.1 °C, UV @ 254 nm

Composition ripple (baseline noise)

<1.0 mAu (<0.1 mAU with optional 250.0 μL mixer) A: H2O + 0.1% TFA, B: ACN + 0.1% TFA, 0.5 mL/min, ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18, 1.7 μm, 2.1 x 50 mm UV @ 214 nm, 5 mm analytical flow cell

Composition accuracy

±0.5% absolute (full scale) from 5% to 90% from 0.2 to 2.0 mL/min

Degassed ACN/ACN with caffeine at 12 mg/L concentration, back pressure 2000 psi, step gradient method, UV at 273 nm

Composition precision

<0.15% RSD or ±0.04 min SD, whichever is greater, based on six replicate injections (with i² Valve)

60:40 H2O/MeOH via Auto•Blend Plus Technology, 0.5 mL/min, alkylphenone mix (5.0 μL 60:40 H2O/MeOH via Auto•Blend Plus Technology, 0.5 mL/min, alkylphenone mix (5.0 μL injection volume), ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18, 1.7 μm, 2.1 x 50 mm, 35 °C ± 0.1 °C, UV @ 254 nm

Compressibility compensation

Automatic and continuous

Priming

Wet priming can run at flow rates up to 4 mL/min

Pump seal wash

Equipped with an automated wash system to flush the rear of the high-pressure seal and the plunger

Flow ramping

Range: 0.01 to 30.00 min to reach 2.0 mL/min

Default: 0.45 min to reach 2.0 mL/min

Primary wetted materials

316 SS, NITRONIC® 60, titanium alloy, fluoropolymer, UHMWPE blend, fluoroelastomer, PPS, zirconia, ruby, sapphire, DLC, gold, MP35N, PEEK blend, polyimide

Solvent selection

Programable up to six solvents (optional)

Acoustic noise

<62 dBA, system

Operating temperature range

15 °C to 40 °C (59 °F to 104 °F)

Operating humidity range

20% to 80%, non-condensing

Dimensions

Width: 34.3 cm (13.5 in.)

Height: 70.6 cm (27.8 in.)

Depth: 71.2 cm (28.0 in.)

Weight

74.9 kg (165.0 lbs.)

*Core system with single CM-S only.

Power requirements

100–240 VAC

Line frequency

50 Hz–60 Hz

Power consumption*

1,000 VA

*Core system with single CM-S only.

Overview

Features and Benefits

  • Accelerate your insights - Reduce laboratory turnaround times for polymer samples by getting answers to your development labs, your manufacturing operations teams, and your customers 5 to 20 times faster than traditional SEC/GPC with the ultra-low system dispersion of the ACQUITY APC System paired with ACQUITY APC Columns.
  • Get the accurate data you need for informed decisions - Gain more insight into your polymer samples through compatibility with a wide range of specific detection techniques (refractive index, UV/Vis, PDA, ELS) and third-party advanced detectors like multi-angle light scattering and viscometry. Get accurate molecular weight (MW) data every day with the precise flow delivery of the isocratic solvent manager.
  • Optimize method development, even in harsh conditions - Optimize method development via rapid and automated solvent switching and aggressive solvent compatibility, which supports the harsh separation conditions associated with polymer analyses.
  • Improve lab efficiency with one system - Increase analytical scope and laboratory efficiency by leveraging one system to perform multiple applications, including basic liquid chromatography (LC), gradient, isocratic, reverse-phase, and gel permeation chromatography (GPC).
  • Simplify your column management - Simplify and optimize column bank calibration through standards that are matched to column bank MW ranges. Versatile column management allows you to automatically select up to two banks of ACQUITY APC columns and up to two banks of traditional GPC columns - all housed in a stable, temperature-controlled environment.

Recommended Use: Highest-resolution, size-based separations for chromatographic polymer and oligomer characterization.


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Accelerate innovation with enhanced insight

Harnessing the benefits of advanced polymer chromatography with the ACQUITY APC System means obtaining accurate and repeatable polymer and oligomer molecular weight information anywhere between 5 to 20 times faster than was possible with traditional GPC/SEC technology - so you can innovate faster while improving laboratory operations.

With the ACQUITY APC System, you can:

  • Reduce laboratory turnaround times for polymer samples by getting answers to your development labs, your manufacturing operations teams, and your customers - faster.
  • Drive innovation with faster results and more information so that your entire operation can respond more rapidly by decreasing development cycle times and accelerating time to market.
  • Streamline process monitoring and achieve better batch control with the agility to make timely decisions “on-the-fly” about process and synthesis optimization.
  • Significantly reduce the analysis cost per sample by reducing solvent consumption and waste disposal volumes.

Optimize method development with solvent switching and compatibility

Using the ACQUITY APC System with Polymer Quaternary Solvent Manager (p-QSM) technology provides chemists and polymer scientists with the ultimate flexibility to analyze the most complex polymer blends and additives using standard polymer chromatography, gradient polymer elution chromatography (GPEC), and reverse-phase LC with a single system.

Additional system features allow automated solvent selection of up to six different solvents. Automated column bank switching capabilities can also be paired with the rigid and solvent-resilient particles of the ACQUITY APC Columns to achieve the world’s first truly automated solution for method development of size-based polymer separations. This supports separation of polymers in hours, instead of days.


Use advanced detection for even more insights

Get the valuable decision-making information you need from a single analysis by equipping the ACQUITY APC System with advanced detectors. Combining the ACQUITY APC System with advanced detection solutions significantly increases information attainable from size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) analysis through addition of refractive index (RI), ultraviolet (UV), photodiode array (PDA), light scattering (LS), and differential viscometry (IV). Advanced detection options from Wyatt Technology are seamlessly integrated with ACQUITY APC System, enabling you to fully characterize samples to better inform the structure-property relationship of novel complex polymers.


Keep pace with your research with dedicated consumables

The ACQUITY APC System is even more powerful with ACQUITY APC Columns and ACQUITY APC Calibration Standards Kits. The Ethylene Bridged Hybrid (BEH) Technology in ACQUITY APC Columns creates particles that ensure extreme column performance and long column lifetime under harsh operating conditions – ideal for general purpose, reversed-phase chromatography, and for method development due to extreme pH stability and applicability to the broadest range of compound classes.

With run times of less than 10 minutes, a bank of ACQUITY APC Columns can be calibrated in less than 30 minutes using ACQUITY APC Calibration Standards Kits. These standard kits have been matched to the MW range of ACQUITY APC Columns, generating a 10-point calibration for any bank combination in a simple dilute-and-shoot format. With daily column bank calibration, you can greatly improve data consistency to increase confidence in batch-to-batch measurements. Select the best column and calibration standards for a given application with our convenient selector tool


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Related

ACQUITY UPLC optical and mass detectors complement and enhance the high-efficiency separations of ACQUITY UPLC Systems, allowing you to analyze a wide variety of compounds.

Separate complex synthetic polymers & macromolecules with ACQUITY Advanced Polymer Chromatography (APC) Columns for superior performance and reliability.

Achieve better data with ACQUITY APC Calibration Standards & Kits, specifically designed to match the molecular weight range of the ACQUITY APC columns. Available in polystyrene and polymethylmethacrylate configured into Low, Middle, and High Molecular Weight Calibration Kits.

For advanced laboratory data management, including acquisition, processing and reporting for liquid and gas chromatography instruments, equip your lab with the Empower Chromatography Data System (CDS).
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