Important Points regarding the Degasser Assemblies.

The Benefits of Teflon AF® used in the chambers.

The use of Teflon AF® for vacuum degassing of solvents is a relatively recent application of the polymer. The polymer has properties that are not found in other fluoropolymers, which are specifically well suited for solvent degassing, including:

• The fully amorphous nature of this fluoropolymer and its molecular structure create a molecular-level porosity unlike the mechanically induced porosity in PTFE extruded tubing.
• The process used for extruding the polymer does not require an extrusion agent. In contrast, the extrusion of PTFE uses kerosene, which will contaminate the mobile phase until it is totally extracted by the mobile phase over time.
• The molecular structure of the polymer, combined with the very small surface area required to degas the mobile phase, reduces the possibility of carryover from one solvent or mobile phase to another to virtually zero.

Teflon AF® is so non-polar that it is both solvophobic and hydrophobic. This feature of Teflon AF®  reduces the possibility of cross-channel contamination from one channel to another, and when combined with the ultra-low internal volumes of Teflon AF® channels needed for HPLC flow rates, all but eliminates the concern of cross-contamination by the chromatographer.

Caution: The degassing tubing in the Vacuum Degasser is manufactured from Systec AF®.

Systec AF® is inert to all solvents normally used in HPLC; however, it is suitable in perfluorinated solvents such as Fluorinert® FC-75 and FC-40 and Fomblin perfluoro polyether solvents from Ausimont. In addition, Freon® solvents will adversely affect Systec AF®. Use of such solvents in the Vacuum Degasser will result in the dissolution and hence destruction of the tubing.
Do not use the degasser with HFIF Note: All parts that are in contact with the mobile phase are made of: Glassed filled PTFE, Systec AF® and PEEK

Unfortunately, when the tubing is damaged in the chambers, solvents sometimes leak into the vacuum pumps and cause damage, which appears to be the case in this circumstance.

The 9000-1184 chambers are compatible with GPC applications

Solvent Compatibility
Degasser Chambers

The meaning of the LED’s on the assemblies

The three LED’s that are located on the front of the instrument above the solvent inlets and outlets provide the following:

POWER (Green)- Indicates when power is applied to the Vacuum Degasser (plugged in and the power is ON).

STATUS (Yellow)– Indicates when the vacuum level is outside the acceptable operating range. Normally, it will come on at initial power-up and remain on during pump-down. It will go off in a few minutes when the vacuum level goes below 100 mm of Hg absolute. If an error condition occurs, this LED will flash in one of two modes.

• Flashing on and off in even 1-second intervals, the pump was not able to reach the vacuum set point, indicating a possible leak in the system.
• Flashing on for 1 second and off for 2 seconds indicates a vacuum signal error.

VACUUM (Green) indicates when the vacuum level is within the acceptable operating range. Normally, the LED will illuminate after the initial pump-down and remain on as long as the vacuum degasser is powered up and the vacuum level is below 100 mm of Hg absolute.

(RED)– Error