Fabrication Of Nanodiamond-based Composite Monolithic Columns And Application

Nanodiamond(ND) is a kind of carbon-based nanoparticle,which has many unique properties, including hardness, high surface area, high resistivity, chemical inertness and good electrical insulating. Recent years, nanomaterials and the combination of the organic polymer have been widely used, which has developed rapidly in the field of composite.A nanodiamond-based composite monolithic column was fabricated by redox initiation for high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). In the fabrication process, functionalized nanodiamond was used as the functional monomer, dipentaerythritol hexaacrylate(DPHA) and 1,10-decanediol diacrylate(DDA) as crosslinking agents, polyethylene glycol 400 and 1-propanol as co-porogens, dibenzoyl peroxide(BPO) and N,N-dimethyl aniline(DMA) as initiators. Characterizations of the resulting nanocomposite were all carried out, including scanning electron microscopy images, mercury intrusion porosimetry, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm and thermal gravimetric analysis and the composite was used as stationary phase in HPLC to separate small molecules. Compared to polymer monolithic column without nanodiamond, nanodiamond-based composite monolithic column exhibited uniform and skeleton reticular microstructure, thermostability property and mechanical stability and it could be used to separate the mixture of acidic, alkaline and neutral compounds at the same time with satisfactory performance.Another composite monolithic column was prepared with functionalized ND as functional monomer, DPHA and ethylene dimethacrylate(EDMA) as crosslinking agents, dodecanol and 1-propanol as co-porogens, BPO and DMA as initiators. After being characterized and compared to the polymer monolith, the composite monolith was used as the stationary phase in HPLC to separate small molecules.