Universal peristaltic tubing simplifies solvent handling in flow chemistry

Vapourtec unveils ‘black’ tube engineered for broad reagent handling

Vapourtec has launched a new high-performance peristaltic pump tube, engineered from a proprietary composite material to offer exceptional chemical resistance across a wide spectrum of challenging solvents and reagents. Known as the ‘black’ tube, this innovation simplifies reagent handling by enabling a single tubing solution for multiple applications, removing the need to switch between materials.

Manufactured using a PTFE-reinforced perfluoroelastomer, the black tube delivers broad compatibility with aggressive chemicals, including organometallics such as BuLi and LDA, as well as concentrated acids like trifluoroacetic (TFA), nitric, formic, sulphuric, and hydrochloric acid. It also withstands demanding organic solvents such as THF, DMF and DMSO, making it a versatile option for complex flow chemistry and peptide synthesis workflows.

Traditionally, Vapourtec systems relied on two different tubing materials to cover a wide chemical range. The new black tube overcomes these limitations by offering a single, universal alternative capable of handling 90% or more of the solvent systems typically used in flow chemistry - all while supporting pressures up to 10 bar.

The development of this tubing builds on Vapourtec’s extensive expertise in peristaltic pumping technology, with compatibility across the company’s entire portfolio, including the E-Series, the R2S pump module, SF-10 and SF-10+ standalone pumps, and the Peptide-Builder.

Vapourtec Managing Director Duncan Guthrie explained: “The black tube is the result of a fortunate meeting with a materials specialist from a global leader in advanced composites. Their input enabled us to develop a robust, chemically resistant tubing solution that answers one of our most frequent customer requests - a truly universal peristaltic tube.”

This breakthrough is expected to streamline experimental setups, reduce downtime and consumables costs, and offer greater flexibility to users dealing with a wide variety of chemistries.

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