Fabrication of Gas Chromatography Glass Capillary Columns with Silica Gel Layer on the Inner Surface Utilizing Sol-Gel Phase Separation

Abstract

Glass capillaries with silica gel layer on the inner surface were prepared by applying phase separation during sol-gel reaction of tetraethyl orthosilicate in the presence of poly (ethylene glycol) with number-average molecular weight of 20000. According to this technique, we can coat the internal surface with uniform silica gel layer for silica capillary with diameter up to 0.1 mm. In the gas chromatographic analysis of hydrocarbons using the capillary column with silica gel layer, light hydrocarbons up to C4 can be analyzed with high resolution and within short experimental time at ambient temperature.