Geometry-Independent Plate Height Representation Methods for the Direct Comparison of the Kinetic Performance of LC Supports with a Different Size or Morphology

Abstract

The advantages of representing experimental plate height data as a plot of Kv/u0(2) or H2/Kv versus Kv/(Hu0) instead of as H versus u0 are discussed (Kv=column permeability). Multiplying the values on both axes by the ratio of a reference pressure drop and mobile-phase viscosity, the obtained plots directly yield the kinetic performance limits of the tested support structure, without any need for further numerical optimization. Directly showing the range of plate numbers or analysis times wherein the tested support geometry can yield faster separations or produce more plates than another support type, such kinetic plots are ideally suited to compare the performance of differently shaped or sized LC supports. The approach hence obviates the need for a common reference length, which is a clear problem if it is attempted to compare differently shaped supports on the basis of their flow resistance phi and reduced plate height h. It is also shown how an MS Excel template file, only requiring the user to paste the column permeability Kv and a series of experimental (u0, H) data, can be used to automatically establish a series of so-called kinetic performance (KP) numbers, which can be used to completely describe the performance characteristics of the considered support. The advantages of the proposed data representation methods are demonstrated by applying them to several recent literature plate height data sets, showing that the obtained kinetic plots directly visualize the range of plate numbers where new approaches such as ultra-high-pressure HPLC or the use of open-porous silica monoliths can be expected to provide a substantial gain and where not. The data analysis also showed that the most generally relevant KP numbers are N(opt) (the plate number for which the support achieves its best analysis time/pressure cost ratio), t(opt) (the time needed to obtain N(opt) plates), and t(1K) (the time needed to generate 1000 or 1 kilo of theoretical plates). These KP numbers are much more informative than the H(min), u(0,opt), and Kv data traditionally employed to quantify the performance of LC supports.

Comparison of the kinetic performance and retentivity of sub-2μm core–shell, hybrid and conventional bare silica phases in hydrophilic interaction chromatography

“…As shown elsewhere [27,36], the low b-coefficient in HILIC compared with RP can be mainly attributed to the reduced surface diffusion contributions due to elements of localisation in the retention mechanism and the presence of a water layer on the column surface, which restricts surface diffusion. Interestingly, Table 4 indicates that the particle morphology has only a small influence on the axial diffusion behaviour in HILIC, as shown by the rather similar reduced bcoefficients (range 2.04-2.37) for cytosine on the 4 columns from arrested elution experiments.…”

“…By using the approach of Desmet et al [27] projection of column performance can be achieved by transforming non-reduced van Deemter data into so-called kinetic plots. Figs.…”

Core–Shell, Ultrasmall Particles, Monoliths, and Other Support Materials in High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

“…2-8 m through-pores and 1-2 m skeletons, that the through-pores and skeletons of the first generation monolithic columns were too large and the external porosity too high. In other words, they suggested to compromise the major characteristics of monolithic silica for higher column efficiency 108 . The presence of through-pores of ca.…”

Theory and Practice of UHPLC and UHPLC–MS

“…The concept of kinetic column performance was introduced by Giddings (1964Giddings ( , 1965a and was later revisited by Knox and Saleem (1969), Poppe (1997), Desmet et al (2005), and Desmet et al (2006). Compared to traditional Heu 0 curves, the kinetic plot representation delivers a highly relevant performance measure: the analysis time required to produce a desired number of plates.…”

“…Experimental Heu and permeability data can be directly converted to a kinetic plot through (Desmet et al, 2005) (6.36) and…”