Some would say that at 40 years old, you are over the hill. Others would say that you're doing someting right. CFT is not that old, but we like work with those that are. Sucess breeds sucess!

 

For almost 40 years, the QUADREX CORPORATION has invested a wealth of scientific expertise into the manufacturing of its line of GC capillary columns.The vision that started in 1976, has roots deep in the very early days of gas chromatography. Quadrex was founded in 1976 by Prof. S.R. Lipsky, then the head of the Department of Physical Sciences at Yale University (New Haven, CT).

 

EARLY BACKGROUND. One of the early pioneers of high resolution gas chromatography, Dr. Lipsky was researching the field of lipids at Yale in the late 1950's when he decided to try a new and intriguing technique called Gas Chromatography (GC) which had been recently developed by Dr. Archer J.P. Martin and Dr. A.T. James. Dr. Lipsky's curiosity with this new technique led to the first successful analyses of fatty acids by gas chromatography demonstrating the its capability in the analyses of biochemical substances.

 

In 1960, together with Dr. Jim Lovelock, he invented one of the primary detectors used in environmental detection today, the Electron Capture Detector (ECD). With his Yale colleague, Dr. Csaba Horvath, the technique of HPLC was also developed. Dr. Lipsky pioneered the use of a GC in combination with a Mass Spectrometer, now commonly known as GC-MS.

 

GC COLUMN DEVELOPMENT. The expiration of the Perkin Elmer (Golay) patent on capillary columns in 1975 opened the GC market to a new generation of column manufacturers. Along with others at the time, Dr. Lipsky recognized the need for commercially available reproducible columns, and thus Quadrex was born. At the time, state-of-the-art column manufacturing focused on what was known as soft glass (borosilicate) columns. While providing leaps in performance over packed columns, these fragile columns were no match for the fused silica columns of today.

 

The 1979 landmark paper by Ray Dandeneau of Hewlett-Packard announced the development of fused silica columns to the world. Taking this lead, Dr. Lipsky sought out suppliers of the new flexible fused silica tubing material and found a local fused silica tubing source (coated with an outer layer of polyacrylate) in Massachusetts. As a result, Quadrex became the first column manufacturer to actually produce commercially available fused silica columns (known then as the 'Black Knights') which was introduced at the Fifteenth International Symposium, Advances in Chromatography, in Houston, TX in 1980. By 1982, Quadrex fully made the switch from the 'Black Knights' to the now industry recognized standard polyimide-coated fused silica tubing for its column material.

 

Dr. Lipsky's other developments in the 1980's include advancing bonded stationary phase technology, surface deactivations, and the development and introduction of aluminum-clad fused silica columns for high temperature applications in 1986. In 1982. For his contributions to the field of Gas Chromatography, Dr. Lipsky was the recipient of the Tswett Medal for Distinguished Work in Chromatography. After the initial diagnosis in 1979, Dr. Lipsky passed away in 1986 after a seven year battle with Leukemia.

 

Today, under second generation management, Quadrex remains in the forefront of gas chromatography with many technical advancements. The Quadrex Corporation product line has grown to include a wide range of fused silica capillary columns, including specially developed columns for environmental and petrochemical applications.

 

In 2015 CFT is proud to announce that these fine precision products are now available from a Canadian source. If you have used Quadrex columns in your work, welcome home. If you have not, the past speaks for itself and the future awaits you. Remember, the Q stands for QUALITY.