Changes in the pore character of silicas caused by surface bonding and polymer coating

The pore character of packings for liquid chromatography, especially reversed-phase (RPLC) packings, has been studied by means of the nitrogen adsorption method (BET method). Micro-spherical silica gels with 9, 12, 30, 40 and 50 nm average pore diameter have been used as carriers. These silica gels have been modified with monochlorodimethyloctadecylsilane and several polymers (polyoctadecylmethacrylate-methylmethacrylate co-polymer, polyacrylamide gel, polyvinyl alcohol, poly-2-hydroxyethyl-methacrylate). A larger decrease in the specific surface area values was observed in the case of the polymer coating with the polyoctadecylmethacrylate-methylmethacrylate co-polymer compared with the derivatization by silanes or the modification with polymers without C18-groups. A new approach has been suggested to explain some questions concerning the interpretation of the data obtained during the measurements of the pore characteristics of the derivatized packings. An attempt has been made to reveal peculiarities connecting values of the measured surface of RP-packings with the specific surface area values of the initial silica, as well as with the chromatographically accessible surface.