Effects of dissolved polymer on the transport of colloidal particles through a microcapillary

The effect of water-soluble polymer on the transport of latex particles through a microcapillary was investigated. Capillary hydrodynamic fractionation (CHDF) experiments were performed using polystyrene (PS) particles and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) solutions as the eluant. Generally, the average particle velocities were greater than those corresponding to a polymer-free eluant. A decrease in the sample axial dispersion was also observed using the PEO solutions. In addition, increasing the polymer molecular weight resulted in lower particle residence times in the capillary tube. The enhanced particle transport arises primarily from an increase in the particle diameter resulting from the adsorption of PEO onto the PS surfaces, and, more importantly, from the migration of particles toward the capillary axis due to the normal stress of the PEO solution.