Preparation of octadecyl modified column gels using heat-treated silicas and their retention behaviour in high-performance liquid chromatography

Abstract

The effect of silanol groups on three types of octadecylmodified column gels using heat-treated silicas by calcination has been studied by high-performance liquid chromatography. After heat-treating at 180°C, 500°C and 950°C, the silicas treated with octadecyldimethylchlorosilane were used for the measurement of physical and chemical analysis. From elemental carbon analysis data, the reactive silanol group concentrations, αOH(s), were determined to be 2.0 in the 180°C treated silica, 2.1 in the 500°C treated silica and 1.6 in the 950°C treated silica, respectively (original silica: mean pore diameter 116 A, specific surface area 298 m2/g, pore volume 1.22 ml/g, particle size 5.0 μm). The separation factors, α, of pyridine versus phenol were measured to be 0.79 on 180°C treated silica, 0.91 on 500°C treated silica and 1.98 on 950°C treated silica, using acetonitrile-water mixtures as the eluent. And then, on the basis of the physico-chemical and chromatographic data, the three types of octadecyl modified column gels using heat-treated silicas by calcination have been compared.