Monolithic composition and method

• US 20060019084A1
• Filed: 07/23/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Pearson, Laurence T.
• Application Number:
  US10/898,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20060019084A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/304.400
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/06 comprising oxides or hydroxides of metals not provided for in group B01J20/04
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/10 comprising silica or silicate
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28007 with size in the range 1-100 nanometers, e.g. nanosized particles, nanofibers, nanotubes, nanowires or the like carbon nanostructures B01J20/205
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28042 Shaped bodies; Monolithic structures
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28057 Surface area, e.g. B.E.T specific surface area
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28085 being more than 50 nm, i.e. macropores
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28097 being coated, filled or plugged with specific compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/282 Porous sorbents ion exchange B01J39/00 - B01J41/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/286 Phases chemically bonded to a substrate, e.g. to silica or to polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3204 Inorganic carriers, supports or substrates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3236 containing metal, other than zeolites, e.g. oxides, hydroxides, sulphides or salts
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2220/54 Sorbents specially adapted for analytical or investigative chromatography
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2220/58 Use in a single column
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2220/82 Shaped bodies, e.g. monoliths, plugs, tubes, continuous beds
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249956 Void-containing component is inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249986 Void-containing component contains also a solid fiber or solid particle

Abstract

An inorganic monolithic material that includes macropores having an inner surface and nanoparticles attached to the inner surface of the material. The macropores and the nanoparticles can be optionally attached to molecular moieties that impart a specific functionality to the material. The material has particular applications to separations and chromatography.

Claims

1. A monolithic material for use in chromatography separations comprising a macropore having an inner surface and a nanoparticle attached to the inner surface of the macropore.

2. A monolithic material as recited in claim 1, wherein the monolithic material comprises an inorganic material.

3. A monolithic material as recited in claim 1, wherein the nanoparticles comprise an inorganic material.

4. A monolithic material as recited in claim 3, wherein the nanoparticles are selected from the group consisting of oxides of silica, oxides of alumina, oxides of zirconium, silicates, carbonates and hydroxides.

5. A monolithic material as recited in claim 4, wherein the nanoparticles comprise a diameter of from about 0.5 nm to about 750 nm.

6. A monolithic material as recited in claim 3, wherein the macropore comprises an average pore size of greater than 0.1 microns and the nanoparticles comprise a diameter of from about 0.5 nm to about 750 nm.

8. The monolithic material of claim 1, wherein the nanoparticle, is attached to molecular moieties that impart a desired functionality to the monolithic material.

7. The monolithic material as recited in claim 7 in which the specific surface area of the material is between 5 and 5,000 square meters per gram.

11. The process of claim 7, wherein the deposition step comprises the removal of the carrier medium from the coating composition by evaporation.

12. The process of claim 7, wherein the deposition step further comprises precipitating the nanoparticles by changing the composition of the carrier medium.

9. A method for liquid chromatography, comprising applying a sample to a column comprising an inorganic monolithic material comprising a macropore having an inner surface and a nanoparticle attached to the inner surface of the macropore

10. A process for making an inorganic monolithic material comprising interconnected macropores having an inner surface, with attached nanoparticles, comprising:

(a) providing a macroporous monolithic material having an inner surface;

(b) contacting the inner surface of the macropores with a coating composition comprising nanoparticles and a carrier medium to deposit the nanoparticle on the surface of the macroporous monolithic material.