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Vials, Caps, Seals

Carl Stuart Ltd supply a range of Vials, Caps and Seals to cater for the many auto-sampler instruments used in Chromatography Laboratories. We also supply a range of sample storage products.

Vials come in many shapes and sizes and are manufactured from a large variety of materials, facilitating the diverse nature of instruments, samples, and solvents used in laboratories. There are also variations in the types of vial closures. The vial needs to be sealed to prevent contamination / evaporation of the sample / solvent, which depends on the nature of the sample / solvent.

Vial Type

Vials can be classified according to the materials they are manufactured from and the Vial Closure (Top).

Available Materials include but are not limited to:

• Glass - for general purpose use and for use with acids;
• Silanized - for use with samples that bind to glass and for trace analyses;
• Polypropylene - for use with alcohols and aqueous solvents;
• Amber Vials - for use with light sensitive samples;
• Microvolume Inserts - for use with very small sample volumes;
• High Recovery Vials - for use with limited sample volumes.

Vial Closure

Crimp Top Vial
Crimp top vials are the most commonly employed vials. These are available in a variety of volumes, in clear or amber format, with or without write-on-patch for sample identification. The crimp caps require a crimping tool and de-capping tools are also available for the disposal / recovery of unused sample. Caps have a variety of seal material and are available in numerous colours. Microvolume inserts simplify your microsampling needs.

Screw Top Vial
Screw top vials combine the excellent autosampler handling of a crimp cap profile with the ease of a screw cap. The screw caps and precision fit septa give a secure seal and the microvolume inserts simplify your microsampling needs. Versatile 2 ml, 12 x 32-mm wide opening vials are designed for autosamplers with rotating or robotic arm trays.

Snap Top Vial
Snap Top Vials are a simple, efficient way of securing a seal without crimping. It's as easy as push-on, pull-off. A consistently secure seal out-performs the loose fit of other snap caps. A variety of snap caps with septa are available from Carl Stuart Ltd. Crimp caps can also be used with wide opening snap top vials. For microsampling, see microvolume inserts.

Microvolume Inserts
Microvolume inserts are used for small to very small sample volumes and are placed into regular vials. The benefit of using inserts is the minimal surface area, making it easier to withdraw the sample.

Microvolume inserts are available in glass and polypropylene and in three particular styles:

Polymer Feet

• Feet act as a shock absorber preventing the syringe needle from striking the bottom of the vial
• Allow virtually zero dead volume
• Best suited for µl volumes

Pulled Point

• Pulled Point are the Economical choic
• Fit directly into vial without the use of springs

Flat Bottom

• Flat Bottom facilitate a Sample size of 250 µ
• Economical choice

High Recovery Glass 1.5-ml Wide Opening
These are wide opening, 1.5-ml vials with a micro-litre reservoir for sample concentration and injection without transferring to microvolume inserts. They are available as Clear and Amber variants in the commonly used crimp, snap, and screw profile.

Septa Materials

Septa (seals) are available in many materials. Available materials include Red rubber/PTFE, Silicone/PTFE, PTFE/Silicone/PTFE, PTFE Disc, and Viton ®. The choice of septa material will depend on the chemical resistance to the sample / solvent and the re-sealing required for multiple injections.

Septa Material Properties

Red rubber/PTFE

• Routine analysis
• Moderate resealing
• Excellent chemical inertnes
• Not recommended for multiple injections or storage of samples