Sub-2-μm seeded growth mesoporous thin shell particles for high-performance liquid chromatography: Synthesis,...

Area of Science:

• Chromatography
• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Sub-2-μm particles are crucial for efficient High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).
• Control over porous shell thickness is essential for optimizing chromatographic performance.
• Existing core-shell particles may have limitations in achieving desired separation efficiencies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate nanometer control over porous shell thickness in sub-2-μm particles.
• To prepare and characterize mesoporous thin shell particles with varying shell thicknesses for HPLC.
• To evaluate the chromatographic performance of these novel thin shell particles.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of seeded growth mesoporous thin shell particles with 50nm and 150nm porous shells.
• Functionalization with octadecyldimethylchlorosilane (C20H43SiCl).
• Comprehensive characterization using SEM, TEM, DLS, BET, CHN, TGA, DRIFT, and ISEC.
• Chromatographic evaluation using probe analytes and HETP measurements.

Main Results:

• Thin shell particles (50nm) exhibited retention coefficients in the range of 1.26-1.35.
• Minimum reduced plate heights for thin shell particles ranged from 3.89 to 4.26.
• Core-shell particles with a 150nm shell showed a retention coefficient of 5.6 and a reduced plate height of 2.03.

Conclusions:

• Nanometer control over porous shell thickness is achievable for sub-2-μm particles.
• Thin shell particles demonstrate distinct chromatographic properties compared to thicker core-shell particles.
• The developed thin shell particles show potential for enhanced HPLC separations.