title: Strong cation exchange monoliths for HPLC by Reactive Gelation.
abstract: Polymeric monolithic stationary phases for HPLC can be produced by Reactive Gelation. Unlike the conventional method of using porogens, such novel process consists of a number of separate steps, thus enabling a better control of the quality of the final material. A suspension of polymer nanoparticles in water is produced and subsequently swollen with hydrophobic monomers. The particles are then destabilised (usually by salt addition) to make them aggregate into a large percolating structure, the so-called monolith. Finally, the added monomer can then be polymerised to harden the structure. In this work, a polystyrene latex is used as the base material and functionalised by introduction of epoxide groups on the surface and subsequent reaction to sulphonic acid groups, yielding a SO3(-) density of 0.7 mmol/g dry material. Morphological investigations show 54% porosity made of 300 nm large pores. Van Deemter measurements of a large protein show no practical influence of diffusion limitations on the plate number. Finally, a preliminary separation of a test protein mixture is shown, demonstrating the potential of using ion-exchange chromatography on Reactive Gelation monoliths.
authors.affiliation: Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (Institute for Chemical and Bio-Engineering), Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Bastian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krättli
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Storti
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morbidelli
mesh_terms: D002411:Cation Exchange Resins / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D016062:Porosity; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D002411:Cation Exchange Resins; D011108:Polymers; D011506:Proteins