Measuring Colloidal and Macromolecular Properties by FFf

摘要

Field-flow fractionation (FFF) is a family of chromatographic-like elution techniques in which an external field or gradient, rather than partitioning between phases, causes differential retention. FFF techniques are applicable to a broad range of polymers, biological macromolecules, colloids, polymer-colloid complexes, and larger cell-sized particles. FFF has two broad functions: separation and measurement. The separation process is best known; this article, however, describes FFF measurement. It enu-merates various properties of macromolecules and colloids that can be measured by FFF but are often difficult or impossible to measure using other techniques. This article further explains how FFF measurements are made and how these measurement capabilities are enhanced by the separation process.