AB DIBLOCK COPOLYMER NANOPARTICLES VIA RAFT-MEDIATED POLYMERIZATION AS A PSEUDOSTATIONARY PHASE FOR ELECTROKINETIC CHROMATOGRAPHY

Author

Andre Umansky, The University of MontanaFollow

Year of Award

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Name

Chemistry (Analytical/Environmental Option)

Department or School/College

Department of Chemistry

Committee Chair

Christopher Plamer

Commitee Members

Michael DeGrandpre, Nicholas Natale

Keywords

analytical chemistry, capillary electrophoresis, chain transfer agent, chromatography, electrokinetic chromatography, electrophoretic mobility, LSER, polymeric synthesis, polymers, pseudostationary phase, separation, RAFT

Publisher

University of Montana

Abstract

Electrokinetic chromatography (EKC) is a powerful analytical technique where analytes are separated according to their interactions with the pseudostationary and mobile phases within an electric field. Pseudostationary phases (PSPs) are an integral part of EKC and currently there are a limited number of PSPs available. As the fields of medicinal, environmental, and forensics chemistry grow, the necessity for PSPs with varied selectivity and high efficiencies becomes apparent. Until recently, polymeric synthesis of novel PSPs has been difficult due to the lack of control in structure and size distribution. Recent developments in polymeric synthesis, utilizing the Reversible addition−fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization (RAFT) process, have overcome the aforementioned problems. This study furthers the research of latex nanoparticles as PSPs. 2-Acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS) was chosen as a novel ionic nanoparticle shell due to its high acidic character. Butyl acrylate was chosen for the hydrophobic core to stay consistent with previous work. Through the RAFT process, nanoparticles were successfully synthesized, demonstrating size control of both the hydrophilic block and hydrophobic block. The novel PSP performance was characterized in EKC by obtaining its electrophoretic mobility (ìep) with respect to size and pH. Retention and selectivity were characterized by linear solvation energy relationships (LSER) and compared with currently used PSPs.

Recommended Citation

Umansky, Andre, "AB DIBLOCK COPOLYMER NANOPARTICLES VIA RAFT-MEDIATED POLYMERIZATION AS A PSEUDOSTATIONARY PHASE FOR ELECTROKINETIC CHROMATOGRAPHY" (2012). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 46.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/46