Photo-polymerized lauryl methacrylate monolithic columns for CEC using lauroyl peroxide as initiator

Lauryl methacrylate (LMA)-ester based monolithic columns photo-polymerized using lauroyl peroxide (LPO) as initiator were prepared, and their morphological and CEC properties were studied. The composition of the polymerization mixture (i.e. ratios of monomers/porogenic solvents, 1,4-butanediol/1-propanol and LMA/crosslinker) was optimized. The morphological and chromatographic properties of LMA columns were evaluated by means of SEM pictures and van Deemter plots of PAHs, respectively. The polymerization mixture selected as optimal provided a fast separation of a mixture of PAHs with excellent efficiencies (minimum plate heights of 8.9-11.1 microm). Satisfactory column-to-column (RSD<4.5%) and batch-to-batch reproducibilities (RSD<6.3%) were achieved. The LMA columns photo-polymerized with LPO were compared with those prepared with AIBN. Using PAHs, alkylbenzenes and basic compounds for testing, the columns obtained with LPO gave the best compromise between efficiency, resolution and analysis time.