Silica monolithic columns: synthesis, characterisation and applications to the analysis of biological molecules

In recent years, proteomics has been a subject of intense research. The complexity of proteomics samples has fostered technological developments. One of these addresses the need for more efficient and faster separations. Monolithic columns prepared from organic and silica monomers offer very efficient separations at low back-pressure. Silica-based monoliths have small-sized skeletons and a bimodal pore size distribution with microm-sized throughpores and nm-sized mesopores. This gives silica-based monoliths favourable properties for high-efficiency, fast separations, like a low-pressure drop across the column, fast mass transfer kinetics and a high binding capacity.