Analytical temperature rising elution fractionation of different polyethylene types using a column filled with carbon nanotubes

A high temperature gel permeation chromatograph (GPC) was coupled with a gas chromatograph (GC) oven to obtain an analytical temperature rising elution fractionation (TREF) system with evaporative light scattering detection. On this instrument, a new column partially filled with pristine carbon nanotubes (CNT) was tested by evaluating the elution profiles in function of temperature (thermograms) of different polyethylene (PE) types. By comparing these thermograms with those obtained with a traditional TREF column filled with metallic wires, the adsorption of polymer chains on the pristine CNT was clearly evidenced. The thermograms given by the column filled with CNT are similar with those provided by literature when chromatographic columns filled with porous graphitic carbon are used for this application, usually described as high temperature thermal gradient interaction chromatography (HT-TGIC).