Fast preparation of a hydrophobic monolith by redox initiation and its application in the separation of small molecules

Abstract

A novel skeleton hydrophobic polymeric monolith was prepared by redox initiation in this paper. At ambient temperature, benzoyl peroxide (BPO) and N,N-dimethyl aniline (DMA) were used as initiators, 1-dodecene (C12) as the monomer and ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate as the cross linking agent. The polymerization conditions were optimized in order for use in chromatographic separations. The character of the monolith was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, mercury porosimetry and nitrogen adsorption–desorption mercury porosimetry. Moreover, the prepared monolith was used as the stationary phase in high performance liquid chromatography to separate a mixture of benzenes in a hydrophobic chromatography mode. Baseline separations and high column efficiencies in excess of 11 000 theoretical plates per meter were obtained.