OPTI-SEAL® Piston/Plunger Seals are the longest lasting seals on the market. Machined from either of two proprietary polymer blends, UHMW-PE or ITB, Optimize Seals provide the ultimate in high pressure sealing capacity.

For mostly aqueous buffered mobile phases, OPTI-SEAL® UHMW-polyethylene is the wisest choice. Specially designed to be more resistant to abrasion and wear than standard polyethylene seals, they can last up to seven times longer under mostly aqueous conditions. Despite the UHMW-PE's durability, it has a coefficient of friction approaching that of PTFE. The homogenous polymer nature leads to less shedding, but when it does occur, a larger, more fibrous particle is produced which is easily caught by a filter frit.

For mostly aqueous buffered mobile phases, PTFE-based Improved PTFE Blend (ITB) seals are a superior choice for applications with elevated temperatures, high organic content, or when the broadest possible solvent compatibility is required. ITB™ seals tend to be softer than those made from UHMW-PE, making them more forgiving at high pressures where piston side-loading or misalignment may occur. This softer nature also leads to more shedding, but the ITB™ proprietary blend is designed to shed particles that are large enough to be caught at the surface of a standard 2 µm frit, not embed within it.