CHARACTERIZATION OF COVALENTLY BONDED AND ADSORBED POLYMER-COATINGS ON SILICA, ALUMINA AND ZIRCONIA BY MEANS OF PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND CHROMATOGRAPHIC METHODS

Polymer coatings on porous silica, alumina and zirconia were prepared by covalent bonding of a copolymer of styrene and vinylsilane on the oxidic surface with or without subsequent cross-linking of the immobilized polymeric layer. Polybutadiene and polychloromethylstyrene were adsorbed on the surface of porous alumina without covalent bonding and were cross-linked after deposition. Analysis of the pore structure of coated oxides by means of nitrogen adsorption, mercury porosimetry and inverse size-exclusion chromatography revealed different polymer distributions across the modified surface and different changes of the porosity of the initial oxides depending on the method of polymer immobilization. By covalent bonding of the copolymer of styrene and vinylsilane to alumina and zirconia with subsequent cross-linking the modifying polymeric layer, highly hydrolytic stable packings were synthesized and their applications in separations with aggressive eluents were demonstrated.