title: Domain size-induced heterogeneity as performance limitation of small-domain monolithic columns and other LC support types.
abstract: We have computed the band broadening and the flow resistance in a series of apparently self-similar porous LC support structures, all having the same mean geometric ratios and external porosity, but with a decreasing scale and disturbed by a scale-independent variance on the size and position of the porous solid zone elements. The study shows in a general and qualitative way that each type of LC support that is produced using a manufacturing process displaying a fixed (i.e., domain-size independent) variance on the size and position of the produced solid zone elements will eventually encounter a limit beyond which a further reduction of the domain size can no longer be expected to yield a significant gain in separation speed. This is currently observed in practice for silica monoliths and could also compromise the performance of photolithographically etched columns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium. jbillen@vub.ac.be
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Billen
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gzil
authors.forename: Gert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Desmet