Preparation and Evaluation of Poly-L-Lysine Stationary Phase for Hydrophilic Interaction/Reversed-Phase Mixed-Mode Chromatography

In this work, a poly-L-lysine-grafted stationary phase was synthesized by polymerization of N-carboxyanhydride of L-lysine initiated by 3-aminopropylated silica. The resulting material was characterized by FT-IR spectra, elemental analysis and thermogravimetric analysis, which clearly indicated that the new phase had been prepared successfully. The retention of polar solutes depending on acetonitrile content in mobile phase exhibited U-shaped curves, which was an indication of hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC)/reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) mixed-mode retention behavior. The retention mechanisms in HILIC and RPLC modes also were investigated. Phenol compounds, aniline compounds and hydrophilic compounds were separated in RPLC or HILIC mode on the new stationary phase, respectively. This result shows that the new phase could be used for both RPLC and HILIC applications, providing greater flexibility for real sample analysis.