Construction of poly (styrene-divinylbenzene)@tris(4-aminophenyl)amine-p-phthalaldehyde-triethylenetetramine core-shell microspheres for the preparation of ion chromatography stationary phase

Core-shell composite microspheres are increasingly favored for the development of stationary phases due to their ability to integrate the monodispersity of inner core with the functional versatility of outer shell. In this study, poly(styrene-divinylbenzene)@(tris(4-aminophenyl)amine-p-phthalaldehyde-triethylenetetramine) (PS-DVB@TAPA-PPA-TETA) core-shell composite microspheres were constructed via an amine-aldehyde condensation reaction. The resultant microspheres were subsequently quaternized using the residual amine groups of TETA in the shell to create an effective anion-exchange stationary phase. The composite microspheres were characterized by SEM, FTIR, N₂ adsorption-desorption experiment, et al. According to the results, the surface of PS-DVB microspheres was wholly covered by TAPA-PPA-TETA. The obtained PS-DVB@TAPA-PPA-TETA exhibited good reactivity, mechanical and chemical stability. The customized column exhibited good separation performance for seven conventional anions, five organic acids and three carbohydrates. The results demonstrate that PS-DVB@TAPA-PPA-TETA is a highly suitable material for the preparation of ion chromatographic stationary phase, exhibiting exceptional chemical stability and robust chromatographic performance in practical application. Finally, the customized column was successfully utilized for the determination of phosphate in waste acid sample.