The surface structures of several kinds of commercially available diatomaceous earth supports including Celite 545, C-22, Chromosorb W, Chromosorb P, Anakrom U and Gas Chrom S and column packing were observed by using scanning electron microscopy.
The correlation between their surface structures and gas chromatographic performances were examined.
The supports were roughly classified into three groups having microstructures composed of either fragmentary of complete remains of diatomaceae.
Celite 545 and Chromosorb W have similar microstructures mainly composed of amorphous and small fragmentary remains.
C-22 and Chromosorb P are composed of net work fragments of diatomaceae. On the other hand Anakrom U and Gas Chrom S are composed of complete net work cylindrical remains.
These surface structural classification of supports approximately correlates with their gas chromato graphic performances represented by separation efficiency and retention time.
The column efficiency of these supports represented by separation efficiency between methyl stearate and methyl oleate were; in case of 30% (w/w) D. E.G. S.- support, C-22 and Chromosorb P> Celite 545 and Chromosorb W> Anakrom U and Gas Chrom S, in case of 10% (w/v), Celite 545 and Chromosorb W> C-22> Anakrom U and Gas Chrom S> Chromosorb P, and in case of 5% (w/w), Anakrom U, Celite 545 and Gas Chrom S> C-22, Chromosorb W and -P and by the ratio of the retention time of methyl stearate against it of Celite 545 were divided into three groups; Celite 545 and Chromosorb W, C-22 and Chromosorb P, and Anakrom U and Gas Chrom S.
The washing of supports with an acid did not give deformation of those surface structures. The mode of distribution of a stationary liquid-D. E. G. S. (diethylene glycol succinate polyester)- on these supports gave characteristic pattern in accordance with the coating methods, namely evaporating dish method, rotary evaporator method, filter method and in-place method.
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