Field-flow fractionation of microparticles in a rotating coiled column for the preparative separation of sorption materials

Abstract

It is demonstrated that field-flow fractionation using a rotating coiled column (RCC) can be used for the separation and purification of the polydisperse sorbents based on polystyrene–divinylbenzene. The behavior of the sorbent at different operating parameters of RCC was studied. The mobile phase composition, column rotation speed, and the initial flow rate of the mobile phase were selected, optimized for the isolation of a monodisperse fraction with the particle size 4.5 µm and the separation of particles 0.5–2 µm in size, particle fragments, and residues of sorbent synthesis. It is shown that a 15-mL analytical RCC ensures the efficient fractionation of 100 mg of the sorbent in one experiment taking less than one hour with the yield of the desired fraction greater than 95%. The perspectives for scaling up the fractionation in RCC are evaluated; the possibility of using the method for the preparative separation of particles of different nature is discussed.