Capillary methacrylate-based monoliths by grafting from/to γ-ray polymerization on a tentacle-type reactive surface for the liquid chromatographic separations of small molecules and intact proteins

Capillary methacrylate-based monoliths were prepared for the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation of both small molecules and large biomolecules. An efficient grafting from/to synthetic approach was adopted introducing a network of activated sites in the inner wall surface using the new silanization agent (N-trimethoxysilylpropyl)-polyethylenimine. Copolymerization of lauryl methacrylate monomer and 1,6-hexanediol dimethacrylate cross-linker in the presence of porogenic solvents was obtained under continuous γ-ray exposure with high conversion yield. The morphology and porous structure of the resulting monoliths have been investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and ¹H NMR cryoporosimetry. By chromatographic investigation, the new capillary columns attested high kinetic performance (with efficiency larger than 100,000 theoretical plate/m for small molecules at optimum mobile phase linear velocity of about 0.5mm/s) and also excellent mechanical stability and repeatability. The new methacrylate-based monolithic capillary columns have been successfully employed for efficient reversed-phase separation of intact proteins and peptides.