Eclipse™ Flow Field-Flow Fractionation System

The Eclipse™ solves many difficult separation, fractionation and sizing tasks for macromolecules, nanoparticles and colloids by field-flow fractionation (FFF). Combined with Wyatt’s DAWN™ or miniDAWN™ multi-angle light scattering (MALS) detector and Optilab™ refractive index detector, the Eclipse offers a uniquely versatile FFF-MALS solution providing characterization of absolute molar mass, size, particle concentration, conformation and encapsulation.

Features:

• Robust separation of macromolecules and nanoparticles from 1 nm - 1000 nm with excellent resolution. Typical analysis times are 20 - 60 minutes
• Characterize proteins, polymers, viruses and viral vectors, exosomes, drug- and gene-delivery nanoparticles, environmental tracers and nano-emulsions
• No stationary phase: open-channel separation with minimal shear and surface interactions
• Versatile choice of separation channels, permitting sample loads from nanograms to milligrams, including semi-preparative FFF
• Separation methods to enhance resolution or size range are optimized simply by adjusting flow ratios. VISION™ software provides computer-aided method development to save time and boost productivity.
• The system makes use of the highest quality pumps, autosamplers, UV detectors and fraction collectors from Agilent, all orchestrated by VISION software. Optional automated switching between FFF channel and size-exclusion column.
• Fractions can be collected and used for off-line analysis (with electron microscopy, mass spectrometry, etc.), or couple to ICP-MS for elemental analysis. Optional Dilution Control Module enriches fractions.
• Intelligent user interface and software eliminate the need for expert operators
• Wyatt provides extensive options for training and support.

Applications:

• High-resolution molar mass and size distributions of proteins, soluble and insoluble aggregates, natural and synthetic polymers, polymersomes, exosomes, liposomes, viruses, virus-like particles, metallic nanoparticles, quantum dots, drug-delivery and diagnostic nanoparticles, emulsions and many more
• Analysis of fragile macromolecules or particles that are sheared on a size-exclusion column, sticky proteins that adhere to the stationary phase, or large, heavily-branched polymers that elute abnormally from GPC columns
• Separation and characterization of trace nanoparticles from environmental matrices such as soil or seawater
• Detailed size-zeta potential distributions of nanoparticles
• Semi-preparative separations
• AF4 is recognized by the FDA and other regulatory agencies as an orthogonal technique to size-exclusion chromatography for analysis of biopharmaceutical aggregation.