Gel Permeation Chromatography with High Loads

Abstract

High loads on GPC columns usually lead to poor efficiency because of steep viscosity gradients. A great difference in density between solution and solvent can also cause excessive band broadening. However, under certain conditions good separations are achieved with loads of 150 mg/100 cc column volume and higher. Two mechanisms are proposed to explain this phenomenon. Secondary exclusion is caused by obstruction of pores to larger molecules by the more rapidly diffusing small molecules. It takes place predominantly with molecules of less than 2000 molecular weight in small pore gels. Incompatibility is caused by repulsive interaction between solute molecules and the polystyrene gel. It is observed with solutes which are chemically quite different from polystyrene, e.g., with polyvinyl acetate, and in a low to intermediate molecular weight range.