Tube-in-Manifold Capillary Column Capabilities

May 12, 2025 by IDEX Health & Science

IDEX Health & Science, a global leader in fluidics technology, is developing several capabilities around a novel tube-in-manifold capillary column platform concept, the concept features a cylindrical fluid path with wide radius bends, designed to address the many performance and robustness issues associated with both legacy etched channel Chip-LC, and standard capillary columns currently being used for Liquid Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS).

Figure 1. IDEX Health & Science tube-in-manifold high-pressure capillary column prototype showing wide radius bends and MarvelX^™ face-sealing connection ports.

Acquiring a thorough understanding of the physical and chemical properties associated with high-pressure, low-flow capillary fluid paths and the chromatographic performance envelope of these, has been an essential element of this work to this end.

Some of the capabilities being evaluated at IDEX Health & Science as part of this initiative include:

• Extensive use of Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) Modelling to evaluate and optimize fluidic geometries when operating within LC-MS flow rate, and system pressure ranges.
• Minimizing System Dead Volume by positioning the sample introduction valve, binary gradient mixing, capillary column, any post column modules, and connection fittings as close together as physically possible as a single, tightly integrated unit.
• Ensuring a Bioinert Fluid Path from the point of sample introduction, with capability options that include sample infusion, trapping, desalting, and subsequent nanoliter sample aliquot injection directly onto an immediately adjacent column and out through a closely interfaced emitter or flow cell.
• Accurately Controlling Temperature of the mobile phase and column while samples pass through the system to improve component separation efficiency and injection-to-injection reproducibility.
• Designing Post Column Modules that include isolated ion source emitter connections, high pressure, low volume UV/Vis flow cells, or 2D-LC valves that connect directly to the column outlet port.
• Developing Robust Tools and Techniques for straightforward and repeatable high pressure packing of, and inlet/outlet frit insertion into, tube-in-manifold capillary columns.
  
  

View the full white paper to learn more about our tube-in-manifold capillary column capabilities.