Chromatographic and electrophoretic separation of chemicals using electrically conductive polymers

Abstract

A separation system comprising a stationary phase, a double stranded conductive polymer system contacting the stationary phase and means to place a mobile phase carrying a component to be separated from the mobile into contacting relationship with the polymer system whereby the component is captured by the polymer. The double stranded polymer is comprised of a conjugated polymer and a polyelectrolyte.

Having described our invention, what we now claim is:  
     
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         9 . (Original) A method for separating components in a medium comprising: 
 contacting a double stranded conductive polymer system to a stationary phase; and    flowing the medium into a contacting relationship with the stationary phase to capture and separate the components.    
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the double stranded conductive polymer system is comprised of a π-conjugated polymer and a polyelectrolyte.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein the π-conjugated polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyaniline, plypyrrole, polythiophene, and poly(phenylene vinylene).  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein the polyelectrolyte is selected from the group consisting of poly(acrylic acid), poly(methylvinylether-co-maleic acid), poly(butadiene-co-maleic acid), poly(vinylsulfonic acid), poly(styrenesulfonic acid), poly(methacrylic acid), poly(L-glutamic acid), poly(L-Asparic acid), and poly (methylacrylate-co-acrylic acid).  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the stationary phase is selected from the group consisting of particulate materials, porous materials, semi-solid materials and solid materials.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the stationary phase is a fused silica capillary.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the medium is a liquid or gas.  
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein at least one of the components is a macromolecule.