Titanium dioxide coated surfaces for capillary electrophoresis and capillary electrochromatography

Abstract

The potential of titanium dioxide coatings to control the electroosmotic flow and to affect the migration behavior of analytes in capillary electrophoresis and open-tubular capillary electrochromatography was evaluated. The inner wall of a fused-silica capillary was applied with a solution of a titanium peroxo complex, followed by heating at an elevated temperature. The resultant product was ascertained to be titanium dioxide in a crystalline form of anatase by the results of Fourier transform-infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The capillary thus made had anodic or cathodic electroosmotic flow, depending on the pH and composition of the background electrolyte used. The titanium dioxide surface of the capillary was readily modified by a silanizing reagent. The performance of the titanium dioxide surfaces with or without chemical modifications was examined with inorganic anions, neutral compounds and peptides.