ABSTRACT
Column packings widely used for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) mostly are based on porous silica microspheres with certain pore sizes and pore size distributions. Such materials have the most desirable compromise of properties that provide for effective and reproducible separations over a wide range of operating conditions. To provide desired separation characteristics, several manufacturers specially synthesize the silica particles for these packings. While such column packing materials have general utility for a wide range of needs, special silica-based particles have been synthesized with different physical conformations for special separation goals. This presentation describes some atypical types of silica-based particles with unique separation properties that enlarge the capabilities of HPLC methods.
Subject(s)
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/instrumentation , Silicon Dioxide , Microscopy, Electron, ScanningABSTRACT
Very fast reversed-phase separations of biomacromolecules are performed using columns made with superficially porous silica microsphere column packings ("Poroshell"). These column packings consist of ultra-pure "biofriendly' silica microspheres composed of solid cores and thin outer shells with uniform pores. The excellent kinetic properties of these new column packings allow stable, high-resolution gradient chromatography of polypeptides, proteins, nucleic acids, DNA fragments, etc. in a fraction of the time required for conventional separations. Contrasted with <2-microm non-porous particles, Poroshell packings can be used optimally with existing equipment and greater sample loading capacities, while retaining kinetic (and separation speed) advantages over conventional totally porous particles.
