Non-porous silica particles consist of solid silica spheres without internal pore structure, meaning that all interactions between analyte and stationary phase occur exclusively on the external particle surface.
This architecture eliminates diffusion effects within pores and ensures rapid mass transfer and sharp peak shapes, particularly beneficial for high-molecular-weight or surface-binding analytes.
Although the surface area of non-porous silica is lower than that of fully porous materials, its uniform and chemically modifiable surface provides excellent control over selectivity and interaction strength.
These particles are often used as supports for biomolecule immobilization (e.g., enzymes, antibodies, proteins) or as high-speed chromatographic materials for analytical separations requiring minimal band broadening and fast equilibration.
Non-porous silica materials have become increasingly important in modern chromatography and bioseparation technology.
Their unique structure enables ultra-fast separations and high column reproducibility, especially for biomolecular and chiral stationary phases where analyte interactions are confined to the surface.
Compared to porous materials, non-porous silica minimizes undesired secondary effects such as slow diffusion or analyte entrapment, resulting in improved recovery and reproducibility for delicate biological samples.
They are also widely used as base materials for immobilized protein or ligand phases (e.g., HSA, Protein A, Trypsin) in affinity and chiral chromatography.
Fast mass transfer: No pore diffusion, allowing rapid analyte exchange and high column efficiency.
Excellent reproducibility: Homogeneous surface and well-defined particle morphology ensure consistent separations.
Low band broadening: Particularly advantageous for proteins, peptides, and large biomolecules.
High mechanical and thermal stability: Suitable for high-pressure operation and repeated use.
Controlled surface modification: Ideal support for immobilization of biomolecules, ligands, or chiral selectors.
Reduced carry-over and adsorption: Minimal sample interaction volume improves recovery and peak shape.
Short equilibration times: Allows rapid method development and fast reconditioning between runs.
Non-porous silica particles are used in a variety of analytical, preparative, and biochromatographic applications, particularly where speed and surface precision are critical:
Affinity and bioseparation chromatography, including immobilized enzyme and protein columns.
Chiral chromatography, using protein- or polysaccharide-based chiral selectors immobilized on solid silica supports.
High-speed analytical HPLC for peptides, nucleotides, and other biological macromolecules.
Surface functionalization studies and bioconjugation platforms for life science research.
Immunoaffinity and diagnostic applications, where stable surface chemistry and reproducibility are required.
By combining mechanical robustness, surface uniformity, and fast separation kinetics, non-porous silica particles provide an efficient platform for high-performance chromatographic and bioanalytical systems.
| Name | Particle Sizes | Carbon Load | Pore Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exsil NP C18-AQ | 1.5 µm | 0 Å | |
| Exsil NP C18-HE | 1 – 1.5 µm | 0 Å | |
| Exsil NP Si | 1 – 50 µm | 0 % | 0 Å |