Gas chromatography system constant database for 52 wall-coated, open-tubular columns covering the temperature range 60-140 °C.

The solvation parameter model is used to characterize the separation properties of 52 fused-silica, wall-coated, open-tubular columns at 5 evenly-spaced intervals over the temperature range 60 to 140 °C. Statistical and principal component factor analysis are used to identify stationary phases of similar separation characteristics considered near selectivity equivalent and stationary phases with specific differences in selectivity for method development. The column database includes examples of all common stationary phase chemistries and manufacturing processes (surface preparation, deactivation, surface bonding, and immobilization). The influence of monomer composition on the separation properties of poly(siloxane) and poly(ethylene glycol) stationary phases is fully characterized and used to demonstrate where gaps in the selectivity space exist in the column database. Interfacial adsorption was observed as an important retention mechanism for biscyanopropylsiloxane-containing stationary phases for n-alkanes but for other compounds and stationary phases gas-liquid partition appears to be the dominant retention mechanism. There is poor agreement between McReynolds phase constants and the system constants of the solvation parameter model for the characterization of stationary phase selectivity.