Poly(vinylpyrrolidone)-coated silica: A versatile,polar stationary phase for HPLC

Summary Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) is immobilized on both, small- and large-pore silicas by thermal treatment, γ-radiation, or peroxide initiated polymerization. The hydrolytic stability of such a highly polar stationary phase significantly exceeds that of a comparable phase prepared by the chemical reaction of silica with a pyrrolidone ethyl dimethylchlorosilane silanization reagent. The properties of the different PVP-silicas are evaluated by elemental analysis, spectroscopy, and chromatography. Columns of PVP-silica packings can be used in several modes: a) under normal-phase conditions as a polar bonded stationary phase, b) under reversed-phase conditions, for the separation of organic proton-donor and hydrogen-bonding compounds, c) for the aqueous size exclusion chromatography of proteins, and d) with salt gradients for the hydrophobic interaction chromatography of proteins. The minimum observable reduced plate-height of PVP-silica columns is about 3. Double-layer polymer coating experiments using PVP-silica covered with poly(methyloctadecylsiloxane) have been performed to study diffusion and shielding effects of different polymer layers in the stationary phase. Depending on separation conditions, one or the other polymer governs the retention process. A mixed selectivity was observed in a reversed phase mode with acidic eluents.