Capillary Columns with a Sorbent Based on Functionalized Poly(1-Trimethylsilyl-1-Propyne) for the Elution Analysis of Natural Gas

The chromatographic properties of capillary columns prepared using functionalized poly(1- trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) (PTMSP) are evaluated and compared with the performance of a commercial column with divinylbenzene polymer sorbent. The loading capacity of a PTMSP column with dimensions of 30 m × 0.53 mm × 0.8 μm is shown to be about 2.5 times higher than that of a divinylbenzene polymer column with a diameter of 0.32 mm and a film thickness of 10 μm. The increased value of the background current for PTMSP columns at 220°C is explained by the presence of non-polar bulky substituents in the polymer chain. Differences in the order of elution are found for the following pairs of compounds: acetylene-ethylene; ethane–water; butene-1–isobutane; and sulfur dioxide–carbonyl sulfide. On a column with the functionalized PTMC, analysis of a mixture composition close to natural gas is found to be complete within 27 min.