Preparation of a polybutadiene stationary phase immobilized by γ radiation for reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

Polybutadiene (PBD) has been immobilized on HPLC silica by γ radiation doses in the range from 5 to 180 kGy. Columns prepared from these reversed-phase materials, as well as from similar non-irradiated materials, were tested with standard sample mixtures and characterized by elemental analysis (% C) and infrared spectroscopy. A low dose of 5 kGy is sufficient to produce a layer of immobilized PBD which functions as an efficient and stable stationary phase. Higher doses give thicker immobilized layers having less favorable chromatographic properties.