This project is in the general area of analytical and surface chemistry and in the subfield of separation science. During the tenure of this three-year continuing RUI grant, Professor Pesek and his students will pursue the development of chemical modification procedures for alteration of porous silica stationary phases for high performance liquid chromatography and glass capillary walls for high performance capillary electrophoresis. The synthetic approach involves converting surface silanol functionalities to hydrides which can be further reacted by hydrosilation reactions to produce bonded organic moieties. These bonded materials have a direct carbon-silicon bond to the surface instead of the more common siloxane linkage which arises from standard organosilane reactions procedures. The direct linkage has been proven both chromatographically and electrophoretically to be more stable than the siloxane linkages to a much wider range of analytical solution environments. Additionally, bonded liquid crystal stationary phases will be further developed and characterized spectroscopically, thermally, and chromatographically. %%% This research builds upon results obtained under Dr. Pesek's previous NSF grant, CHE-8814849, and will enable a clearer definition of the mobile phase/stationary phase interface. Additionally, this research should provide insightful guidance for the more rational and efficient design and synthesis of liquid crystal chromatographic stationary phases.
