Sample Mass Effects on Thermal Field-Flow Fractionation Retention and Universal Calibration

Abstract

The effect of sample mass on retention in thermal field-flow fractionation (FFF) can be large, becoming more important as the molecular weight increases. Greater retention with increased sample mass is observed beginning at the detection limit of 0.1 μg of polystyrene in tetrahydrofuran (THF) with higher molecular weight material. Empirical equations have been developed to correct for changes in calibration parameters for the thermal FFF universal calibration curves due to the sample mass effect on polymer retention for polystyrene, polymethylmethacrylate, and polyisoprene in THF.