Progress in liquid chromatography of synthetic electroneutral polymers

Recent achievements and anticipated future progress in high performance liquid chromatography of synthetic electroneutral polymers (polymer HPLC) are briefly reviewed. Basic retention mechanisms of polymer HPLC are explained and corresponding separation procedures are discussed. Advantages, drawbacks and pitfalls are presented of the most important polymer HPLC method, namely size exclusion chromatography. Principles of polymer HPLC methods combining various separation mechanisms within one chromatographic column (coupled procedures) or in a set of different chromatographic columns (two- and multi-dimensional procedures) are outlined.