Use of novel phenyl-hexyl core-shell particles in nano-LC

This paper reports the use of novel phenyl-hexyl core-shell particles packed into fused silica capillaries in nano-LC. Capillary columns of different id of 25, 50, 75, 100, and 150 μm were packed employing the slurry packing method. The columns were used for the separation of a model mixture containing five aromatic hydrocarbons. Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, n-propylbenzene, and n-butylbenzene were separated utilizing an isocratic elution mode. Mixtures of water/ACN at different ratio were studied to find optimal experimental conditions for baseline separation of all sample components. As expected with this novel stationary phase, an RP chromatographic mechanism was observed. A mixture of water/ACN, 30:70, v/v allowed the complete resolution of the studied analytes. Efficiency increased by decreasing the capillary id recording the highest number of plates per meter with capillaries of 25 μm id. The decrease of the column id also resulted in a flatter dependence of the plate numbers on the linear flow rate of the mobile phase allowing the increase of the flow rate of the mobile phase without significant decrease of efficiency.