A surface moiety for use in chromatography which is attached to a solid support, said surface moiety having a structure which comprises at least two arylene groups wherein the arylene groups are separated from each other by a hydrocarbylene group. The surface moiety is attached to a solid support to form a stationary phase material. Methods for making the stationary phase material and using the material are provided also as are a chromatography apparatus which contains the material and a surface modifying agent which may be used to attach the surface moiety to the solid support.