Ultrashort open-tubular capillary column with modified silica-gel thin layer for capillary electrochromatography

A new preparation method has been developed that uses silica-oligomer for the sub-micron silica-get layer for the open-tubular capillary column, (OTC). The silica-gel layer has a unique sub-micron cell structure, which was observed by scanning electron microscope, and this structure contributes to increasing its total surface area. Using ultrashort (2 cm long) OTCs modified with docosyl methyl dichloro, silane, separation of neutral compounds has been demonstrated. The column shows a good performance, such as theoretical plate number 71,000 plates/m. The column gives a relatively high capacity factor, such as 1.85 for fluorine.