Silylation of the Silica Surface A Review

Abstract Silylated silica surfaces have found many applications in the field of analytical chemistry (HPLC, Ion Exchange Chromatography, Size Exclusion Chromatography, GC), synthetic chemistry (heterogeneous catalysts, phase transfer catalysts), biochemistry (enzyme immobilization, affinity chromatography) and industries (composites, high-tech materials, semiconductor devices). In all cases, the knowledge of their chemical composition and surface characteristics is of great importance for the understanding and eventual improvement of their performance. This review presents a general description of the silica surface and a summary of the different modification techniques that have been developped to silylate oxide surfaces. The chlorosilylation of the silica surface (in liquid and gaseous phase) and the modification with aminosilanes are discussed in more detail, emphasizing the analysis techniques and skills that enable researchers to get a more profound insight into the reaction mechanisms and the nature and concentration of the created surface groups.