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Optimal is more than just another new generation HPLC packing material!

Optimal is manufactured using an entirely new process based on well established silica production techniques, coupled with new refining technologies - ultimately leading to a superior material with excellent efficiency, reproducibility and peak shape.

Manipulation of carbon loading with respect to silica surface area gives the ability to control the inherent polarity of C18 and other phases. This gives you the choice between two distinct C18 (ODS) phases with different selectivity and water wetability.

Optimal ODS phases show stable base lines and high sensitivity even under neutral pH conditions and without buffer or counter-ion additives, which makes them appear especially suited for hyphenated techniques like LC-MS, where such additives disturb the detection.

Shape	Spherical
Phases Available	ODS-H, ODS-L, C8, Silica, CN, NH2, Phenyl, C1 and C4
Particle Size	3µm, 5µm and larger
Mean Pore Diameter	120Å (300, 500 and 1000Å also available)
Carbon Loading	ODS-H (18%), ODS-L (15%)
Specific Surface Area	320m2g-1. (120Å material)

Optimal ODS phases are designed to show extended selectivity for hydrophilic (ODS-H) and polar (ODS-L) compounds which are either not or poorly retained on other phases. A proprietary modification technique avoids the matting-down effect of the C18 chains which conventional ODS-phases show at high water contents in the mobile phase, even if pure water is used. Typical applications are separations of biomolecules and metabolites such as oligosaccharides, amino acids, small peptides, nucleotides and organic acids.
Optimal C8 phases packing materials are bonded with octyl groups and are fully endcapped. They are recommended for compounds which are too strongly retained on C18 phases.