Deactivation by polysiloxane and phenyl containing disilazane: A 29SI CP-MAS NMR study after the formation of polysiloxane chains at the surface

A high degree of deactivation of glass and fused-silica capillary column walls is attainable by means of high temperature silylation (HTS) with or without a preceding leaching process. HTS with a phenyl containing disilazane, diphenyltetramethyldisilazane (DPTMDS), and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) are studied on Cab-O-Sil, a fumed silica, as a model substrate. Using ²⁹Si CP-MAS NMR, it was shown that no dimethylsiloxane chains were formed upon silylation with DPTMDS under different conditions of humidity and stoichiometry at 377°C. With DPTMDS deactivation it is possible that amino trisiloxy silane groups are formed, these groups add extra activity to the surface. Silylation with a PDMS, OV 101, at various temperatures between 300°–420°C did show that dimethylsiloxane chains were bonded at the surface. Using the ²⁹Si CP-MAS NMR technique with variable contact times to reveal siloxy group mobility, the degradation of dimethylsiloxane chains at the surface was studied. PDMS degradation at an optimal temperature gives a more effective diminuation of the silane activity caused by chemical reaction with the silanol groups and the effective screening of the remaining silanol groups with anchored polydimethylsiloxane chains and small cyclodimethylsiloxane ring structures at the surface.