Monolithic Silica Columns for HPLC, Micro-HPLC, and CEC

Two types of monolithic silica columns derivatized to form an ODS phase, one prepared in a fused silica capillary (SR-FS) and the other prepared in a mold and clad with an engineering plastic (poly-ether-ether-ketone) (SR-PEEK), were evaluated. The column efficiency and pressure drop were compared with those of a column packed with 5-μm ODS-silica particles and of an ODS-silica monolith prepared in a mold and wrapped with PTFE tubing (SR-PTFE). SR-FS gave a lower pressure drop than a column packed with 5-μm particles by a factor of 20, and a plate height of 20 μm at a linear velocity below 1 mm/s. SR-PEEK showed higher flow-resistance than the other monolithic silica columns, but they still showed a minimum plate height of 8–10 μm and a lower pressure drop than popular commercial columns packed with 5-μm particles. The evaluation of SR-FS columns in a CEC mode showed much higher efficiency than in a pressure-driven mode.