Capillary electrophoretic separation of structurally similar solutes in noncross-linked poly(acrylamide-co-N-isopropylacrylamide) solution.

Noncross-linked acrylamide (AA)-N-isopropylacrylamide (IPAAm) copolymers have been used as a buffer additive in capillary electrophoretic separation of structurally similar small solutes. Seven kinds of barbiturates and five kinds of dansylated (Dns) amino acids, which have different hydrophobic side chains, were separated on poly(AA-co-IPAAm)-filled columns and on AA polymer-filled columns under the condition of totally eliminating the contribution of electroosmotic flow (EOF). It is known that the copolymer containing IPAAm has thermosensitive properties, and the hydrophobicity of its surface changes with surrounding temperature. In this investigation, therefore, the effects of an isopropyl group in the copolymer on the electrophoretic separation of the small solutes were studied by comparing the two polymer-filled columns at ambient temperature and at elevated temperature. Although slight differences in migration behavior were observed at ambient temperature between the columns filled with these two polymer solutions, obvious differences in the separation of the solutes were observed at elevated temperature. The observed changes on the migration behavior might be caused by the interaction between copolymer chains exhibiting hydrophobic property and the solute.