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Thermal Field-Flow Fractionation as a Powerful Tool for the Fractionation of Complex Synthetic Polymers: A Perspective

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A Correction to this article was published on 31 May 2021

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Abstract

Synthetic polymers have complex molecular structures with distributions in molar mass, chemical composition, functionality and molecular topology. For the comprehensive analysis of polymer structures, a number of advanced spectroscopic and fractionation techniques are used. For the fractionation of polymers, most frequently column-based methods are applied. These are of limited value for the separation of very high molar mass and fragile analytes. Thermal field-flow fractionation (ThFFF) as a channel-based method has developed into a powerful alternative and complementary technique to column-based fractionations. This perspective discusses novel applications of ThFFF and highlights its potential for the fractionation of polymer assemblies such as micelles, vesicles and nanogels.

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  1. Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, University of Stellenbosch, Post Box X1, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa

    Harald Pasch

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  1. Harald Pasch
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Pasch, H. Thermal Field-Flow Fractionation as a Powerful Tool for the Fractionation of Complex Synthetic Polymers: A Perspective. Chromatographia 84, 525–530 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10337-021-04036-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10337-021-04036-9

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