Electroosmotic mobility and aggregation phenomena of model polymers with permanent cationic groups

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) was applied to polyelectrolytes containing p ermanent cationic groups. The electrophoretic mobility (EM) of polycarboxyb etaines at different pH strongly depends on the chemical environment of the cation. This promotes a pH dependent intra- and intermolecular aggregation . Using uncharged polymers as sieving media, the order of hydrodynamic radi i superimposes the effect of number and location of the net charges on the overall mobility. EM of cationic polyelectrolytes is mainly determined by s tructural factors and substituent effects at the nitrogen.