Product Specification

T498335 ©1999 Sigma-Aldrich Co.

A revolution in capillary column cutting:

● Near-perfect cuts the first time, independent of skill orexperience – saves time and money

● Trouble-free preparation for on-column or split/splitlessinjections

● Leak-free connections● Improved reproducibility of analytical results

Because they expose active sites on tubing edges and polyimidecoatings, less-than-perfect cuts in fused silica columns often leadto poor chromatography, including leaking connections, spikesin the chromatogram, poor reproducibility of retention times,and band broadening. Clean, true cuts are critical in capillaryelectrophoresis and capillary electrochromatography, due to thegreat importance of consistent field strength in ensuring consis-tent results. True 90° cuts also are important for sealing the tubingbutt connectors used for making retention gaps in GC/MSsystems.

A revolutionary tool, the Shortix™ fused silica tubing cutter,incorporates diamond technology to ensure near-perfect columncuts by even the least experienced user. With traditional tubingcutters – even diamond-tipped pens and sapphire wafers – only afraction of the column surface is scored. Most of the circumferenceis simply broken when pressure is applied at the score, typicallyproducing an irregular edge. With the Shortix cutter a diamondcutting edge is rotated completely around the column, scoring theentire surface. The result is consistently the cleanest, truest cutedge.

Shortix Fused Silica Tubing Cutter

Figure A. Typical Cuts from Tubing-Cutting Tools

P000300

Figure A shows enlargements of cut column ends produced by aShortix tubing cutter, a tungsten carbide tipped scoring tool, aceramic wafer, and a sapphire blade. The cut from the Shortixtubing cutter is the only one that is clean and true; the other cutsshow jagged fused silica edges and torn flaps of polyimide –sources of chromatographic problems.

Ceramic Wafer

Sapphire Blade

Shortix Fused Silica Tubing CutterClean edge, almost perfect right angle to column axis

Tungsten Carbide Scoring Tool

P000666

P000668

P000670

P000669

For more information, or current prices, contact your nearest Supelco subsidiary listed below. To obtain further contact information, visit our website (www.sigma-aldrich.com), see the Supelco catalog, or contactSupelco, Bellefonte, PA 16823-0048 USA.ARGENTINA · Sigma-Aldrich de Argentina, S.A. · Buenos Aires 1119 AUSTRALIA · Sigma-Aldrich Pty. Ltd. · Castle Hill NSW 2154 AUSTRIA · Sigma-Aldrich Handels GmbH · A-1110 WienBELGIUM · Sigma-Aldrich N.V./S.A. · B-2880 Bornem BRAZIL · Sigma-Aldrich Quimica Brasil Ltda. · 01239-010 São Paulo, SP CANADA · Sigma-Aldrich Canada, Ltd. · 2149 Winston Park Dr., Oakville, ON L6H 6J8CZECH REPUBLIC · Sigma-Aldrich s.r.o.· 186 00 Praha 8 DENMARK · Sigma-Aldrich Denmark A/S · DK-2665 Vallensbaek Strand FINLAND · Sigma-Aldrich Finland/YA-Kemia Oy · FIN-00700 HelsinkiFRANCE · Sigma-Aldrich Chimie · 38297 Saint-Quentin-Fallavier Cedex GERMANY · Sigma-Aldrich Chemie GmbH · D-82041 Deisenhofen GREECE · Sigma-Aldrich (o.m.) Ltd. · Ilioupoli 16346, AthensHUNGARY · Sigma-Aldrich Kft. · H-1067 Budapest INDIA · Sigma-Aldrich Co. · Bangalore 560 048 IRELAND · Sigma-Aldrich Ireland Ltd. · Dublin 24 ISRAEL · Sigma Israel Chemicals Ltd. · Rehovot 76100ITALY · Sigma-Aldrich s.r.l. · 20151 Milano JAPAN · Sigma-Aldrich Japan K.K. · Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103 KOREA · Sigma-Aldrich Korea · Seoul MALAYSIA · Sigma-Aldrich (M) Sdn. Bhd. · 58200 Kuala LumpurMEXICO · Sigma-Aldrich Química S.A. de C.V. · 50200 Toluca NETHERLANDS · Sigma-Aldrich Chemie BV · 3330 AA Zwijndrecht NORWAY · Sigma-Aldrich Norway · Torshov · N-0401 OsloPOLAND · Sigma-Aldrich Sp. z o.o. · 61-663 Poznañ PORTUGAL· Sigma-Aldrich Quimica, S.A. · Sintra 2710 RUSSIA · Sigma-Aldrich Russia · Moscow 103062 SINGAPORE · Sigma-Aldrich Pte. Ltd.SOUTH AFRICA · Sigma-Aldrich (pty) Ltd. · Jet Park 1459 SPAIN · Sigma-Aldrich Quimica, S.A. · 28100 Alcobendas, Madrid SWEDEN · Sigma-Aldrich Sweden AB · 135 70 StockholmSWITZERLAND · Supelco · CH-9471 Buchs UNITED KINGDOM · Sigma-Aldrich Company Ltd. · Poole, Dorset BH12 4QHUNITED STATES · Supelco · Supelco Park · Bellefonte, PA 16823-0048 · Phone 800-247-6628 or 814-359-3441 · Fax 800-447-3044 or 814-359-3044 · email:supelco@sial.com H

Supelco is a member of the Sigma-Aldrich family. Supelco products are sold through Sigma-Aldrich, Inc. Sigma-Aldrich warrants that its products conform to the information contained in this and otherSigma-Aldrich publications. Purchaser must determine the suitability of the product for a particular use. Additional terms and conditions may apply. Please see the reverse side of the invoice or packing slip.

Contact our Technical Service Department(phone 800-359-3041 or 814-359-3041, FAX 800-359-3044 or814-359-5468) for expert answers to your questions.

BWI

Table 1 summarizes results from a more extensive test of cuttingperformance, encompassing all methods of cutting and theentire range of cutting experience. Again, the results clearly showthat the Shortix tubing cutter enables even the least experienceduser to make consistently good cuts in fused silica tubing. Anexperienced chromatographer can almost double the likelihoodof obtaining a good cut on the first attempt.

Use the Shortix tubing cutter to cut any diameter of fused silicatubing, coated with either soft polyimide or hard polyimide.

Description Cat. No.

Shortix Fused Silica Tubing Cutter 21386-U

Shortix is a trademark of SGT.

Table 1. Shortix Tubing CutterConsistently Provides Better Cuts

Percentage of Good/Perfect CutsColumn Non- HighlyScoring Experienced Experienced

Technique 4 Year Old Lab Person GC Specialist

Simple Breaking* 0 0 0Scissors 0 0 0Column Knife 0 16 27Diamond-Tipped Pen 0 23 51Sapphire Blade 0 29 54Shortix Cutter 96 97 97

*No scoring.