Polymer-Based Materials for Sample Preparation and Chromatographic Separation

In this review, applications of synthetic polymer materials with fibrous shape in chromatographic field were described, especially focusing on the approach by the author's group. Introducing synthetic polymer materials with good heat-resistance, chemical-resistance, and mechanical strength as separation/extraction media in chromatographic techniques, novel stationary phases and sample preparation media have been developed. Taking advantage of the physicochemical properties, synthetic fibrous materials packed into a short capillary could be employed as both of the separation and extraction media in chromatography. Filament-packed columns consisted of longitudinal fibrous materials were successfully developed in gas chromatography as well as liquid chromatography, and a unique retention behavior for aromatic compounds was confirmed on the fibrous polymer phase. In applying synthetic polymer filaments as extraction media, sample preparation devices with novel functionalities were developed in addition to the conventional concentration performance based on a trap-and-release process because fibrous shape allows flexible arrangement within capillary. These results also suggest a future possibility of the fine synthetic fibrous materials in microscale separation science.