Ultrahigh‐Pressure Liquid Chromatography: An Emerging Technique

Abstract

An overview of ultrahigh‐pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) is presented that covers both theoretical and practical aspects of the technique. The push to use higher eluent pressures is the direct result of a new column technology based on the use of smaller diameter separation media and narrower bore diameters in combination with faster linear flow velocities. The topics discussed include the general aspects of the technique, as well as specific information about instrumentation, column design, and nonlinear effects. An important consideration when carrying out UHPLC separations compared to conventional HPLC separations is eluent heating due to compression and decompression heating. In many instances, the amount of heat generated is large and cannot be ignored. Models to predict heating under different operation conditions are discussed.