Patent ID: 7052608

Claim:
A method for controllably retaining and releasing charged species contained in solution, comprising: a) passing the solution through a porous stationary phase disposed in a capillary column by imposing a voltage gradient between first and second ends of the column; and b) subsequently subjecting the capillary column to a pressure gradient between first and second ends of the column, wherein the porous stationary phase is comprised of a porous polymer monolith prepared by the method of; pretreating the internal surface of the capillary column; filling the capillary column with a solution comprising a monomer mixture and a solvent, wherein the monomer mixture comprises an alkoxy protected metal functionality, a crosslinker, and a polymerization initiator; polymerizing the monomer by exposing at least a portion of the mixture to radiation to form a porous polymer monolith; hydrolyzing the alkoxy functionalities by washing the polymer monolith with a hydrolyzing solution; and washing the hydrolyzing solution from the polymer monolith.