Use of Hydrophilic Hydroxypropyl Methacrylate/Ethylene Glycol Methacrylate Packing Material in Size-Exclusion Chromatography

Spherical particles of hydroxypropyl methacrylate/ethylene glycol methacrylate copolymer were synthesized in-house for use in size-exclusion chromatography. The porous hydrophilic material was packed in glass and stainless steel columns to evaluate their chromatographic performance. The support particles were small (approximately 20 Å), and the average pore size was in the low range of mesopores (approximately 100 Å). The packed columns were calibrated by using polysaccharide dextrans, showing a good range of separation for molecular weights between 10 000 and 600 000 daltons. The packing material appears to separate the large molecules through the size-exclusion mechanism. Polysaccharides and polypeptides dissolved in adequate mobile phases were injected into the packed column. The separation of the macromolecules was consistent with the size-exclusion mechanism. Application of the packing material to the separation of small molecules (alkyl alcohols) was also investigated.