Polysilazane thermosetting polymers for use in chromatographic systems and applications

1. A fluid-permeable mass comprising a particulate adsorbent material dispersed in a matrix comprising a polysilazane polymer and a polysiloxane polymer.

2. A fluid-permeable mass as set forth in claim 1 having a permeability of about 5 to about 20 μL/second.

3. A fluid-permeable mass as set forth claim 1 wherein said matrix is substantially not irreversibly adsorptive of an analyte or other target compound that is adsorbed by said particulate adsorptive material.

4. A fluid-permeable mass as set forth in claim 1 and contained within a conduit or vessel, said matrix being adhered to an interior wall of said conduit or vessel.

5. A fluid-permeable mass as set forth in claim 1 containing at least about 40% by weight of said particulate adsorptive material.

6. A fluid-permeable mass as set forth in claim 1 wherein the B.E.T. surface area of said particulate adsorptive material is at least about 1 m 2 /g.

7. A fluid-permeable mass as set forth in claim 1 wherein the concentration of said adsorptive material is such that the surface area thereof is at least about 0.1 m 2 /cc of said mass.

8. A fluid-permeable mass as set forth in claim 1 wherein said polysiloxane polymer contains repeating Si—H groups at from about 1% to about 10% intervals.

9. A fluid-permeable mass as set forth in claim 1 wherein said polysiloxane polymer comprises siloxane repeating units of the formula:

wherein

R 3 is hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, nitro, cyano, amino, hydroxy, or an —O—Si≡ moiety; and

R 4 is hydrogen, methacryl, C 1-20 alkyl, C 2-20 alkenyl, fluoroalkyl, carbonyl, carbinol, glycidyl, straight, branched or cyclic —(CH 2 —O—CH 2 ) n , and aryl optionally substituted with C 1-6 alkyl, fluoro, chloro, cyano or aryl.

10. A fluid-permeable mass as set forth in claim 1 wherein said polysilazane polymer comprises silazane repeating units having the formula:

wherein:

R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, vinyl, alkyl, hydroxy, alkoxy, amino, alkylamino, mercapto, acetoxy, halo, hydroxyalkyl, dimethylamino, oxime, isocyanate, CH 2 Q-(OCH 2 CH 2 ) n OH,

R 2 is selected from the group consisting of methacryl, C 1-20 alkyl, C 2-20 alkenyl, fluoroalkyl, carbonyl, carbinol, glycidyl, straight, branched or cyclic —(CH 2 —O—CH 2 ) n , and aryl optionally substituted with C 1-6 alkyl, fluoro, chloro, cyano or aryl;

Q is C 1-8 alkyl; and

n is 1 to about 20.

11. A fluid-permeable mass comprising a particulate adsorbent material dispersed in a matrix comprising a polysilazane polymer and a polysiloxane polymer wherein said polysilazane polymer comprises the formula:

wherein R is H or —CH═CH 2 and n is 1 to 20.

12. A fluid-permeable mass as set forth in claim 1 wherein said particulate adsorptive material is selected from the group consisting of carbon, organic polymers, silicas, zeolites, aluminas, metal or ceramic powders.

13. A fluid-permeable mass as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least 85% of the pore volume of said particulate adsorptive material is constituted of pores having a pore size between about 2.5 Å and about 10,000 Å.

14. A fluid-permeable mass as set forth in claim 13 wherein at least 85% of the pore volume of said adsorptive material is constituted of pores having a pore size between about 100 Å and about 300 Å.

15. A fluid-permeable mass as set forth in claim 1 wherein the ratio of polysiloxane polymer to polysilazane polymer is about 1.0 to 0.5 to about 1.0 to 10.0.