Organo-silica hybrid capillary monolithic column with mesoporous silica particles for separation of small aromatic molecules

Abstract

Monolithic stationary phases for use in capillary electrochromatography were prepared by incorporation of mesoporous silica particles (of type MCM-41 or UVM-7) in a polymer obtained from butyl methacrylate and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as monomers, 1,4-butanediol and 1-propanol as porogen, and azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator. The stability of the dispersions with varying fractions of silica particles was investigated by UV-vis spectrometry. Using continuous stirring during the capillary filling and short UV-polymerization times, polymeric beds with homogenously dispersed mesoporous particles (with contents up to 35 wt% of silica) are obtained. The resulting hybrid monolithic columns were characterized using scanning electron microscopy. The chromatographic performance of these novel stationary phases was evaluated by using alkyl benzenes and benzoic acid derivatives as test analytes. The use of these polymers leads to increased retention and separation efficiency compared to the parent monolith. The column efficiency reached values of up to 140,000 plates m−1. The resulting hybrid monolithic columns also exhibited a satisfactory reproducibility with relative standard deviations of ca. 14% (batch-to-batch).