Copper or stainless?

[Karen01]

I have always plumbed my GCs using copper tubing even when I had some very long lines... but my lab is going to me moving so i was wondering if there are advantage to using stainless steel tubing this time

Copper is very easy to work with, cut etc... How is stainless to work with? If it is harder is it worth the hassle?

I'm talking about 2 new lines for GCs with FIDs and one GCMS. We use tanks in instead of generators for the N2, H2 and Air and still use He for carrier for all of them.

Thanks,
- Karen

[mattmullaney]

Hi Karen,

My answer is "Yes and No". Stainless steel is recommended for plumbing hydrogen as it is more inert (copper corrodes after a long while and requires replacement). Otherwise, there's no doubt that stainless steel is more difficult to work with in practice...you'll need a harder tubing cutter material and tubing reamer for sure.

My personal preference is for Stainless Steel for the hydrogen line (maybe a bit silly) and copper everywhere else. Over the long term I believe steel is the better choice for all of the lines (again, this may be silly). I'm not certain that the phrase "economy of quality" applies for all gas connections with S.S...

Let us see what others may write, thank you and best wishes!

[Consumer Products Guy]

Working with stainless steel tubing is a little tougher, tougher to bend and to cut, and you'll need to use stainless steel ferrules too. But 1/4 inch and 1/8 inch is not too difficult to use in the GC lab.

"Stop being a girly-man!"