Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane grafted silica-based core-shell microspheres for reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) was used to modify spherical silica to fabricate core-shell POSS@SiO2 microspheres. The material was characterized by Fourier transform infrared experiments, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and elemental analysis. The material was also used as a stationary phase for HPLC separation. The POSS@SiO2 column exhibits a reverse-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) retention mechanism. The column efficiency of alkylbenzenes reaches 67,200 plates·m-1. The POSS@SiO2 column was also utilized for separation of basic anilines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Compared with the commercial C8 column, the POSS@SiO2 column exhibits enhanced separation selectivity. The column was also used for the separation of synthetic cytokinins 6-benzylaminopurine and 6-furfurylaminopurine in bean sprout after extraction. In addition, the methacrylate groups on the surface of the POSS@SiO2 microsphere were further functionalized so as to facilitate the fabrication of versatile stationary phases with various separation mechanisms. Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of the two-step fabrication of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane grafted silica-based (POSS@SiO2) core-shell microspheres for use in HPLC.