DESIGN REQUIREMENTS OF SILICA-BASED MATRICES FOR BIOPOLYMER CHROMATOGRAPHY

This work briefly reviews the philosophy which has guided the design of bonded phases for biopolymer chromatography in our laboratories, since 1980. Its main purpose, however, is to examine closely the physical and chemical nature of these bonded phases, which determine, in part, their chromatographic properties. Thus several physical properties and characterization methods of the substrate, porous silica, were described. Aspects of the design and synthesis of wide-pore bonded phases have been illustrated, in which trifunctional silanes were reacted covalently with the substrate under polymer-forming conditions in all cases. Finally a three-tier characterization approach has been applied, in which physical, chemical and chromatographic properties of the bonded phase are measured. The objectives of characterization have been to determine (1) the nature of the bonded phase surface, (2) its influence on chromatographic performance, and (3) the influence of various synthetic processes upon bonded phase reproducibility.