Separation of nanometer gold particles by size exclusion chromatography

Size-exclusion chromatography is employed for the separation of gold nanopa rticles in the range from 5.3 to 38.3 nm with a polymer-based column of 100 nm pore size, The sorption problem of gold nanoparticles by high surface o f stationary phase can be solved with the addition of anionic surfactant to the eluent. Excellent linearity from the plot of logarithm of the particle size as a function of elution time is obtained. Also, the reproducibility of separation for the entire range of calibration curve is high. The size r esolution (R-s = 1.0) of 10 nm, without considering particles size distribu tion, is obtained from optimal conditions. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. A ll rights reserved.