HIGH-PERFORMANCE SIZE-EXCLUSION LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY OF INORGANIC COLLOIDS

High-resolution separations of inorganic colloids in the 1-50 nm range can be rapidly carried out by size-exclusion chromatography using columns of < 10 μm porous silica microspheres (PSM). The high efficiency of the PSM columns used in this application is the result of the rapid equilibration of slowly diffusing colloids with the porous structure of these very small particles. Subtle differences in the size characteristics of aluminosilicate sols have been measured in a few minutes with columns of ≈7 μm PSM particles. The mass transfer properties of superficially porous particles (solid core, porous crust) suggest that this type of packing should also be useful for the rapid separation of slowly diffusing colloids. Size-exclusion chromatography appears to be a useful technique for characterizing a variety of both inorganic and organic colloids. © 1979.