Mesoporous nanomaterial-assisted hydrogel double network composite for mixed-mode liquid chromatography

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Chromatography

Background:

• Developing advanced stationary phases is crucial for improving separation efficiency in liquid chromatography.
• Functionalized mesoporous silica materials offer unique properties for chromatographic applications.
• Hydrogel composites present a versatile platform for creating novel separation media.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a novel hydrogel composite-modified silica stationary phase for mixed-mode liquid chromatography.
• To evaluate the separation performance of the new stationary phase for various analytes.
• To assess the stability and reproducibility of the developed chromatographic column.

Main Methods:

• Co-modification of mesoporous silica with MOF-919 using a hydrogel composed of triallyl cyanate and a zwitterionic monomer (SBMA).
• Characterization of the stationary phase using chromatographic retention behavior exploration.
• Evaluation of separation selectivity for pesticides, alkylbenzenes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, nucleosides/bases, benzoic acids, antibiotics, and carbohydrates.
• Assessment of intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviations for retention time.
• Determination of the limit of detection (LOD) and linear range for chlorotoluron.
• Measurement of column efficiency in Reversed-Phase Liquid Chromatography (RPLC) and Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography (HILIC) modes.

Main Results:

• The hydrogel composite stationary phase exhibited excellent selectivity for a wide range of analytes.
• High separation efficiency was achieved, reaching 32,400 plates/m in RPLC and 41,300 plates/m in HILIC.
• The stationary phase demonstrated good reproducibility with intra-day relative standard deviation <0.16% and inter-day relative standard deviation <0.39%.
• The method achieved a low LOD of 0.21 µg/L for chlorotoluron in complex matrices.
• The column proved effective for separation in mixed-mode liquid chromatography, applicable to complex samples.

Conclusions:

• The developed hydrogel composite-modified silica is a promising stationary phase for mixed-mode liquid chromatography.
• Its flexible functional design and simple preparation method make it a valuable tool for diverse analytical separations.
• The material expands the application scope of hydrogel composites in advanced liquid chromatography.