This is the standard tubing material for chromatography, suitable for a wide variety of applications. It is cold drawn seamless, not welded, with close tolerances held on both ID and OD. We neither recommend nor offer Type 304 stainless steel for analytical applications.

Austenitic stainless steels may be used for most chromatographic applications. Type 316 is most commonly used for HPLC because of its superior chloride ion resistance.

This is the material most often recommended for corrosion resistance – it works when nothing else will. This versatile nickel-chromium molybdenum alloy has excellent resistance to most acids, including strong oxidizers such as ferric and cupric chlorides; nitric, formic and acetic acids; wet chlorine; sea water and brine solutions; and mixtures containing nitric acid or oxidizing acids with chloride ions. VICI uses only HC-22 for fittings and valve stators, rather than the older and less corrosion resistant HC-276.

The best choice for most special applications where HPLC grade stainless cannot be used, Hastelloy C has excellent resistance to pitting, stress corrosion cracking, and oxidizing atmospheres up to temperatures well beyond any other standard components of the chromatographic system.

Excellent resistance to caustics, high temperature halogens and hydrogen halides, and salts other than oxidizing halides. Good resistance to caustic soda and other alkalis except ammonium hydroxide.

The industry standard nickel alloy tubing, containing trace amounts of copper, carbon, silicon, and other elements which impart certain mechanical characteristics. Like our 316 stainless, this tubing is cold drawn to close ID and OD specifications, and is suitable for many applications where a relatively inert and low cost nickel is required. While more inert than 316 SS in most applications, it is still absorptive and has a relatively rough interior. Use electroformed nickel tubing for applications requiring a high level of inertness or finish.

Although it is more difficult to machine than common alloys containing aluminum and vanadium, Valco uses Grade 2 pure titanium in order to avoid possible contamination of the sample stream with these metals. Good for organic and inorganic salts except aluminum and calcium chlorides, and all alkalis except boiling concentrated potassium hydroxide. Good with dilute, low temperature formic, lactic, sulfuric, hydrochloric, and phosphoric acids, but rapidly attacked by hydrofluoric acid. Good with dilute nitric acid at low temperatures; corrodes at high concentrations and temperatures. Can ignite with fuming nitric acid. Attacked by oxalic acid, concentrated phosphoric acid, hot trichloroacetic acid, and zinc chloride.

Due to the nature of this metal, valves made of titanium typically have a shorter lifetime than HPLC grade stainless steel or Hastelloy C-22.