Two-dimensional chromatography as a tool for studying band broadening in size-exclusion chromatography

Comprehensive 2-D size-exclusion chromatography (SEC x SEC) has been realized. SEC x SEC is not a useful technique for characterizing complex polymers. However, it is potentially an elegant tool to study band-broadening phenomena. If narrow fractions can be collected from the first dimension, the band broadening in the second dimension is only due to chromatographic dispersion. This would allow a clear distinction to be made between chromatographic band broadening (column and extra-column) and SEC selectivity (band broadening due to sample polydispersity). In comparison with MALDI-MS, SEC x SEC allows the study of polymers across a much broader molar-mass range.