Micro-Thermal Field-Flow Fractionation

The effect of miniaturization of the separation channel on the performance of thermal field-flow fractionation (TFFF) is substantiated theoretically. The experiments carried out under carefully chosen experimental conditions proved the high performance of the separation of polymers within an extended range of molar masses from relatively low up to ultrahigh-molar-mass (UHMM) samples. The new micro-TFFF allows to achieve high resolution when applying constant field force operation, it makes easy the programming of the temperature drop which is an advantageous operational mode from the point of view of the time of analysis, and it extends considerably the range of perfectly controlled temperature of the cold wall due to a substantial decrease in the heat energy flux compared with standard size channels.