Preparation of core–shell silica particles with tunable pore size by phenylethanol as swelling agent for chromatographic separation

The core–shell particles with tunable pore size were synthesized by a bi-phase reaction successfully. By adjusting the amount of phenylethanol, fibrous shells with tunable pore sizes ranging from 4 to 19 nm could be obtained in one pot. The obtained silica microspheres were used for chromatographic separation after modification with octyltrichlorosilane and end-capping with N-(trimethoxysilylpropyl)imidazole. Better resolutions of nitroimidazoles and anilines were obtained on the end-capped stationary phase. This particle could serve as an HPLC stationary phase with good reproducibility and particular selectivity.