Electrically driven size exclusion chromatography (ED-SEC) of polystyrenes
in packed capillaries using dimethylformamide as solvent is demonstrated. T
he efficiency and retention behaviour of polystyrenes under pressure and el
ectro drive were investigated. Under pressure drive the plate height (H) in
creases steadily with increasing linear velocity (u) whereas under electro
drive the H-u curves largely coincide and are very flat. At higher velociti
es the plate heights are about 50 % smaller with electro drive than with pr
essure drive. Calculations show that with increasing ionic strength, the fl
ow through the particles may increase causing a clear diminishing of the el
ution window.