Fluorinated monolithic column for CEC

In order to overcome the drawbacks associated with particle-based fluorinated stationary phases, a fluorinated cationic monolith was successfully synthesized by the in situ copolymerization of a 45% monomer mixture and 55% porogens with thermal initiation using 0.1% initiator with respect to the monomer mixture. The monomer mixture was composed of perfluorododecyl acrylate (49.75%), ethylene dimethacrylate (49.75%), and 0.5% of the quaternary amine acrylic monomer supporting an anodal electroosmotic flow. A tertiary porogenic solvent system consisting of 40% 1-propanol, 40% 1-octanol, and 20% 1-dodecanol was used. The resulting monolith column showed good characteristics in terms of morphology, permeability (pressure drop was 4.8–25.7 MPa between 5 and 25 μL/min), and the electroosmotic mobility (3.68 (±0.05)×10−4 cm2 v−1 s−1). The monolith was tested for the separation of four phenolic compounds, three aromatic hydrocarbons, and one fluorine-containing compound. Good efficiencies (up to 135 000 (±4000) plate/m and resolution up to 2.6 (±0.1)) with short analysis time (< 9 min for tau-fluvalinate, <7 min for four phenolic compounds, and <12 min for three aromatic hydrocarbons) and good stability (1.0–1.5% RSD for intraday, 1.2–1.6% RSD for interday, and 3.9–5.0% RSD for column-to-column) were obtained.