Porous Microspheres for Chromatography
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional resin-based chromatographic columns face challenges with low binding capacity and high back pressure when processing macromolecules, leading to inefficient separation and productivity issues due to small, non-interconnected micropores that hinder large molecule diffusion and are prone to structural damage under high flow rates.
Innovation Solution
A stationary phase medium comprising cross-linked polymeric porous microspheres with interconnected macropores and multiple surface openings, allowing for a high specific surface area and convective transport, which maintains high binding capacity and low back pressure even at elevated flow rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional resin beads with small micropores are used, then low molecular weight solutes can be separated effectively, but macromolecules cannot enter the pores resulting in low binding capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs porous polymer beads with specifically engineered pore structures having diameters of 0.1-10 micrometers, which are large enough to accommodate macromolecules while maintaining adequate surface area for binding. The porous structure allows macromolecules to penetrate and bind effectively, resolving the contradiction between pore size and binding capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pore size parameter from conventional nanometer-scale pores to micrometer-scale pores (0.1-10 μm), and adjusts the pore volume fraction to 0.3-0.8. These parameter changes enable macromolecule entry while maintaining binding capacity, directly resolving the size exclusion problem.
2Productivity
If high flow rates are used to increase productivity, then separation speed improves, but intra-bead diffusion becomes rate-limiting and resolution decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses porous beads with large micrometer-scale pores and optimized pore volume fractions (0.3-0.8) that enable both fast convective flow through the beads at high rates and adequate diffusive transport for resolution. This dual-mode transport resolves the contradiction between speed and resolution.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the pore diameter to 0.1-10 μm and pore volume fraction to 0.3-0.8, the patent creates conditions where convective flow dominates at high rates while maintaining sufficient surface area for diffusive equilibration, enabling both high productivity and resolution.
3Ease of operation
If conventional resin beads are used, then adsorption chromatography can be performed, but back pressure increases due to limited convective flow between beads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs porous beads with large micrometer-scale pores and optimized packing characteristics that facilitate both intra-bead convective flow and inter-bead fluid distribution. This reduces flow resistance and back pressure while maintaining high flow rate operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes bead size distribution, pore diameter (0.1-10 μm), and pore volume fraction (0.3-0.8) to optimize flow characteristics. These parameter changes reduce flow resistance and back pressure, enabling high flow rate operation with improved ease of use.
4Area of stationary object
If small micropores are used in conventional resin beads, then surface area for adsorption is increased, but macromolecule diffusion into pores is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses porous beads with micrometer-scale pores (0.1-10 μm) that are large enough for rapid macromolecule diffusion while maintaining high pore volume fractions (0.3-0.8) to provide sufficient adsorbing surface area. This resolves the contradiction between surface area and diffusion rate.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables efficient separation of large biomolecules with stable binding capacity and reduced back pressure at high flow rates, overcoming the limitations of conventional chromatographic systems by facilitating convective mass transfer and maintaining mechanical strength.
Implementation Method 1
The respective porous microspheres are formed with interconnected macropores to constitute a porous network, which provides a large specific surface area as an adsorbing surface and facilitates convective mass transfer
Implementation Method 2
Adsorption chromatography is a type of fluid chromatography for separation of a component in a mixture by selective adsorption from a mobile phase onto a solid stationary phase
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a stationary phase medium for adsorption chromatography, which is in form of porous microspheres suitable for being packed into a chromatographic column. The porous microspheres are made of cross-linked polymeric material and formed with interconnected macropores to constitute a porous network. The invented porous microspheres have a characteristic size ratio of porous network diameter to microsphere particle size, and the porous network is in fluid communication with the ambient via multiple openings, so that molecules are convectively transported through the porous network. Accordingly, the invention shows low back pressure and high binding capacity to molecules at high mobile phase velocities.