title: Kinetic plot and particle size distribution analysis to discuss the performance limits of sub-2 microm and supra-2 microm particle columns.
abstract: To contribute to the current debate about the "ideal" particle size range (sub-2 microm vs. supra-2 microm), the present study compares the kinetic performance of some commercially available sub-2 microm and 3.5 microm particles used under quasi-adiabatic conditions via the kinetic plot method. Under the adopted assumption that viscous heating effects can be neglected (which is uncertain in a pressure range above 400 bar), the obtained kinetic plots show that, provided each particle size is used in a column with properly optimized length, the gain in separation speed that sub-2 microm particle columns might have over maximally performing 2.5 microm particle columns is very small. Sub-2 microm particle columns can only yield a gain in separation speed in the range of high-speed/low-resolution-separations (total time based on k=10 below 5 or 10 min). And even in this range, the actual gain that can be expected is only marginally small (only a few %). The present study hence suggests that the development and the use of particles in the 2-3 microm range should deserve more attention than it did in the past few years. However, to be competitive, this 2-3 microm material should be packed in relatively long columns, with a packing quality matching that of the current best performing 3.5 microm particle columns. The supra-2 microm particles should also be able to withstand the same pressures as the sub-2 microm particle material one is comparing it to.
authors.affiliation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Chemical Engineering, Pleinlaan 2, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Deirdre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cabooter
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Billen
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Terryn
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lynen
authors.forename: Pat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sandra
authors.forename: Gert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Desmet
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007700:Kinetics; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010316:Particle Size