Column packings physical characteristic

In a similar manner to the design process for packed columns, the physical characteristics and the performance specifications can be calculated theoretically for open tubular columns. The same protocol will be observed and again, the procedure involves the use of a number of equations that have been previously derived and/or discussed. However, it will be seen that as a result of the geometric simplicity of the open tubular column, there are no packing factors and no multi-path term and so the equations that result are far less complex and easier to manipulate and to understand. 

The design process for open tubular columns is similar to that for packed columns, and the physical characteristics and performance specifications can be calculated... 

Returning now to the subject of the chapter, in addition to appropriate retentive characteristics, a potential stationary phase must have other key physical characteristics before it can be considered suitable for use in LC. It is extremely important that the stationary phase is completely insoluble (or virtually so) in all solvents that are likely to be used as a mobile phase. Furthermore, it must be insensitive to changes in pH and be capable of assuming the range of interactive characteristics that are necessary for the retention of all types of solutes. In addition, the material must be available as solid particles a few microns in diameter, so that it can be packed into a column and at the same time be mechanically strong enough to sustain bed pressures of 6,000 p.s.i. or more. It is clear that the need for versatile interactive characteristics, virtually universal solvent insolubility together with other critical physical characteristics severely restricts the choice of materials suitable for LC stationary phases. 

The dominant stationary phase in HPLC is modified silica and, to be more specific, octadecyl silica (ODS). It should be pointed out that there could be great differences between various types of ODS materials or even between different batches of the same material. Carbon load, free silanol content, endcapping, type of silica, and coupling chemistry to the Cig moiety, not to mention the several physical characteristics of the packing material all involve the behavior of an ODS column. However, a rather safe generalization is that, in such material, hydrophobic interactions are a dominant mechanism of separation [3-7]. 

Silica (Si02) is the dominant support material, with excellent physical and chromatographic performance.1,5 Columns packed with unbonded silica are rarely used for analytical purposes due to the strong adsorptive characteristics. Silanol groups (Si-OH) found on silica surfaces are typically bonded with monochlorosilanes to create a hydrophobic liquid-like stationary phase for reversed-phase applications.1,12 Unreacted or residual silanols remaining after the bonding step are further reacted with a smaller silane (end-capped) to reduce the number of these adsorptive sites (Figure 3.4). One limitation of... 

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