PDMSDVB

PDMSDVB, short for polydimethylsiloxane–divinylbenzene, refers to a class of stationary phases used in gas chromatography. These materials are blends or copolymers based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with divinylbenzene (DVB) that are crosslinked to form a robust, porous polymer coating on capillary or packed GC columns. The combination aims to provide a balance between nonpolar and mildly polar interactions, delivering broad selectivity for a wide range of volatile and semi-volatile compounds.

In practical terms, PDMSDVB stationary phases are typically implemented as capillary columns whose polymer coating incorporates DVB as a crosslinking component. The resulting phase tends to offer good thermal stability and mechanical durability, enabling routine separations over a broad temperature range. The presence of DVB introduces additional interaction sites beyond those of pure PDMS, enhancing separation performance for compounds with varying polarity, including hydrocarbons, aromatics, terpenes, pesticides, and flavor and fragrance components.

Common advantages include broad analyte compatibility, robustness, and relatively wide boiling-range performance. Limitations can include reduced efficiency for highly polar compounds compared with dedicated polar phases, and column bleed that can affect low-concentration analyses at higher temperatures.

PDMSDVB columns are produced by multiple manufacturers and are available in various dimensions and film thicknesses to suit different GC methods. They are widely used in general-purpose GC tasks where a single phase must accommodate a diverse set of analytes. See also polydimethylsiloxane, divinylbenzene, and gas chromatography stationary phases.