Dual Ligand Sol-gel Sorbent Combining Superthydrophobicity and II-II Interaction

Competitive Advatanges: Enhanced extraction and preconcentration of nonpolar/hydrophobic analytes, Provide superior enrichment of nonpolar analytes, Optimized sorbent performance. A method of coating at least one silica capillary using a novel dual ligand sol-gel sorbent and method of manufacture of such sorbent is provided herein. The dual ligand sol-gel sorbent provides superior enrichment effects through simul­taneous exploitation of superhydrophobicity of one of the ligands and the ability of the other ligand to undergo Jt-Jt interaction with hydrophobic aromatic analytes. Sorbent performance is enhanced both in terms of analyte enrich­ment and sorbent stability, such as pH stability and solvent stability.Our inventors have achieved enhanced extraction and pre-concentration of nonpolar/hydrophobic analytes with sol-gel sorbent.  This design will simultaneously possess two surface-bonded organic ligand that provide superior enrich-ment of nonpolar analytes by cooperatively exploiting su-perhydrophobicity of one ligand and p-p interaction of the other. Sorbent performance can be enhanced further by substi-tuting silica with germania, this will improve sorbent per-formance in terms of analyte enrichment and sorbent stability.