Fully porous silica particles are spherical, high-purity silica materials characterized by a continuous pore network throughout each particle. This open pore structure allows analyte molecules to access the full internal surface area, resulting in efficient mass transfer and high separation capacity.
Due to their well-controlled pore size distribution, these materials can be optimized for the separation of compounds ranging from small organic molecules to large biomolecules such as peptides and proteins.
They form the basis of a wide variety of bonded stationary phases — including C18, C8, CN, Phenyl, NH₂, SAX, and SCX — enabling their use in reversed phase, normal phase, ion exchange, and HILIC chromatography.
Fully porous silica particles are available in different particle sizes (typically 3 µm, 5 µm, or 10 µm) and pore diameters (60–300 Å), ensuring versatile applicability for both analytical and preparative workflows.
Since the early development of HPLC, fully porous silica particles have been the industry standard for chromatographic performance. Their unique combination of surface area, pore accessibility, and mechanical strength enables reproducible separations with high efficiency and resolution.
These materials are compatible with a broad range of mobile phases and operating conditions, making them suitable for routine analytical use as well as demanding industrial purification processes.
Even with the rise of core–shell and monolithic technologies, fully porous silica remains the most versatile and well-characterized stationary phase platform in liquid chromatography.
High surface area: Provides superior loading capacity and excellent retention for analytes of varying polarity.
Uniform pore structure: Ensures consistent mass transfer and peak symmetry across a broad molecular weight range.
Excellent mechanical and thermal stability: Suitable for high-pressure HPLC systems and long column lifetimes.
Versatile surface chemistry: Can be functionalized with a wide range of bonded ligands for reversed phase, normal phase, ion exchange, or HILIC separations.
Broad selectivity range: Delivers reliable performance from small-molecule pharmaceuticals to complex biomolecules.
Proven reproducibility: Long-standing track record of batch-to-batch consistency and validated chromatographic behavior.
Fully porous silica particles are used in analytical, preparative, and process-scale chromatography. Their balanced properties make them suitable for applications in:
Pharmaceutical analysis and purification of drug substances, intermediates, and impurities.
Biochemical separations, including peptides, proteins, and nucleic acids.
Environmental and food analysis for detection of trace organic compounds.
Polymer and materials research, where high surface area and stable performance are required.
Chiral and specialty chromatography, as base materials for coated or immobilized chiral selectors.
Their adaptability and proven reliability ensure that fully porous silica remains the universal choice for chromatographers seeking performance, robustness, and scalability.