Effect of the silanization conditions on chromatographic behavior of an open-tubular capillary column coated with a modified silica-gel thin layer.

The performance of an open-tubular capillary column coated with a modified silica-gel thin layer was investigated, particularly concerning the effect of the silanization process on it. Although the increase in the octadecyltriethoxysilane (ODTES) concentration in the silanization process could enhance the retention factor of naphthalene, its theoretical plate number was significantly reduced (ODTES, 5 to 50%; k, 0.2 to 4.3; N, 79600 to 2600 m(-1)). Namely, the increase in the retention factor was accompanied by a decrease in the theoretical plate number. A similar phenomenon was also observed when octadecyldimethylchlorosilane (ODCS) was used as the silanization regent. However, increases in both the retention factor and the theoretical plate number could be achieved (sample, naphthalene; k, 0.05 to 0.09; N, 149000 to 220000 m(-1)) by a NaOH treatment to the fabricated thin porous silica-gel layer before silanization with ODCS. The electrochromatographic separation of proteins and peptides by using the NaOH-treated column could obtain more peaks than electrophoretic separation.