Prominert Columns

Significance of the Topic

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) remains a cornerstone technique for separating and analyzing complex mixtures in pharmaceuticals, environmental monitoring and quality control. Achieving high resolution and stable retention under a wide pH range is essential for reliable results. Advanced deactivation and end-capping strategies minimize secondary interactions, boosting reproducibility and extending column lifetime.

Objectives and Overview

This overview introduces Prominert, a new generation of reversed-phase HPLC columns designed to deliver unmatched resolution on conventional systems. It traces the evolution of ChromaNik Technologies’ column chemistries, from initial polymer–silica hybrids to the latest tandem TMS deactivation. The aim is to demonstrate Prominert’s improved retention, separation efficiency, pH stability and unique selectivity compared to existing hybrid C18 and biphenyl phases.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Prominert columns employ porous silica particles end-capped using a dual trimethylsilyl (TMS) approach. Core instrumentation details include:

• Column formats: 50–250 mm lengths, 2.1, 3.0 and 4.6 mm inner diameters
• Particle size: 3.5 μm; pore diameter: 9 nm; surface area: 140 m2/g
• Ligand: C18 carbon load 7%, Biphenyl carbon load 4%
• End-capping: Tandem TMS for superior silanol masking and alkaline durability
• Typical HPLC system: conventional capillary tubing (0.25 mm i.d.), UV detection at 250–265 nm
• Mobile phases: methanol–water, acetonitrile mixtures, buffers up to pH 12

Main Results and Discussion

Performance comparisons between Prominert C18 and a leading hybrid C18 column under identical conditions revealed:

• Higher retention factors (k6 increased from 7.1 to 9.2)
• Up to 40% gain in column efficiency (from N6=20,000 to 28,000 plates)
• Lower backpressure (18.0 MPa vs. 13.0 MPa at the same flow and particle size)

Prominert’s advanced end-capping granted alkaline stability comparable to hybrid phases, retaining over 90% efficiency after 800 h at pH 10.5 and 60 °C. Biphenyl variants exhibited distinct dipole-dipole and CH-π interactions, altering selectivity for aromatic compounds such as vanillins and sulfonamides. Separation factors shifted significantly (e.g., caffeine/phenol α from 0.38 to 1.81 on biphenyl).

Benefits and Practical Applications

Prominert columns offer:

• Superior resolution on standard HPLC setups without requiring UHPLC pressures
• Broad pH compatibility (pH 1–12 for C18, pH 1–10 for Biphenyl)
• Enhanced durability under harsh alkaline or acidic conditions
• Flexible selectivity through choice of C18 or Biphenyl phases

These features support diverse applications in drug impurity profiling, environmental pollutant analysis and natural product separation.

Future Trends and Opportunities

Continued innovation in end-capping chemistries and stationary-phase architectures is anticipated to further enhance selectivity and lifetime under extreme conditions. Hybrid and core-shell designs may be combined with novel ligand functionalities to target challenging analytes. Integration with high-throughput and mass spectrometry systems will expand Prominert’s utility in pharmaceutical discovery and metabolomics.

Conclusion

Prominert represents a significant advance in reversed-phase HPLC column design, balancing high resolution, low pressure and wide pH stability on conventional equipment. Its dual-TMS deactivation and optimized ligand load deliver reproducible separations and extended column life, meeting critical demands in analytical laboratories.

References

No external literature list provided.