EAPSI: Characterization of new materials to advance separations technology

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The ability to separate and analyze a specific compound from a mixture enables scientists to make crucial discoveries that advance their science. Separations of compounds are used in all chemical and biological sciences, as well as engineering. One important technique for these separations is Electrokinetic Chromatography (EKC). This is an analytical technique that provides fast separations of minute amounts of sample through the use of an electric potential across a solution. This specific research will synthesize new materials that provide unique separation properties and improved performance within EKC. This research will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. Emily Hilder, an eminent scientist in the field of separation science at the Australian Center for Research on Separation Science (ACROSS). As one of the premier centers for separation science research in the world, ACROSS provides the infrastructure needed to demonstrate the performance of latex nanoparticles (NP), the solid substructure within the EKC separation column. This collaborative work will provide a critical step in bringing advances in EKC to the separations community. This work will utilize advanced CE-ESI-MS instrumentation at ACROSS to achieve the high detection sensitivity required, and to demonstrate ESI interface compatibility. The NP PSPs performance will be characterized with Linear Solvation Energy Relationship (LSER) models to understand the effects of NP structure on selectivity and mobility. The LSER data will provide a fundamental understanding of the effects of NP size and chemistry on methylene selectivity and retention factors. This will provide the data needed to guide the engineering of NP PSPs for specific applications. In addition, the PSPs will be used in current research applications to illustrate NP PSP applicability to cutting edge challenges that are not addressed by existing separations technology. This NSF EAPSI award is funded in collaboration with the Australian Academy of Science.