Construction of large volume monolithic columns

Citation
A. Podgornik et al., Construction of large volume monolithic columns, ANALYT CHEM, 72(22), 2000, pp. 5693-5699
Citations number
40
Categorie Soggetti
Chemistry & Analysis","Spectroscopy /Instrumentation/Analytical Sciences
Journal title
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
ISSN journal
00032700 → ACNP
Volume
72
Issue
22
Year of publication
2000
Pages
5693 - 5699
Database
ISI
SICI code
0003-2700(20001115)72:22<5693:COLVMC>2.0.ZU;2-E
Abstract
Monolithic supports have become the subject of extensive study in the past years. Despite their advantageous features and many successful chromatograp hic applications in the analytical scale, only a very few examples of large r volume monoliths were described. In the case of GMA-EDMA monoliths, this can be attributed to the fact that due to the exothermic polymerization a p ronounced temperature increase inside the monolith significantly affects th e structure. The temperature increase depends on the thickness of the monol ith, and consequently, there is an upper limit that allows the preparation of a unit with a uniform structure. In the present work, we have analyzed a heat release during the polymerization and have derived a mathematical mod el for the prediction of the maximal thickness of the monolithic annulus ha ving a uniform structure. On the basis of the calculations, two annuluses o f different diameters were polymerized and merged into a single monolithic unit with a volume of 80 mt. In addition, a special housing was designed to provide a uniform flow distribution in the radial direction over the entir e monolith bed. It was shown that such a monolithic column exhibits now-ind ependent separation efficiency and dynamic binding capacity up to flow rate s higher than 100 mL/min. The separation and loading times are in the range of a few minutes. The pressure drop on the column is linearly dependent on the flow rate and does not exceed 2.5 MPa at a now rate of 250 mL/min.