Use of nanomaterials in capillary and microchip electrophoresis

Abstract

This review gives an overview of different separation strategies with nanomaterials and their use in capillary electrophoresis (CE) and capillary electrochromatography, as well as in microchip electrophoresis, including metal and metal oxide nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, fullerene and polymer nanoparticles, as well as silica nanoparticles. The paper highlights the new developments and innovative applications of nanoparticles as pseudostationary phases or immobilized on the capillary surface for CE separation. The separation and characterization of target nanoparticles with different sizes by CE are reviewed likewise.

Keywords::

• capillary electrochromatography
• capillary electrophoresis
• microchip electrophoresis
• nanomaterial

Acknowledgement

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support from the National Nature Science Foundation of China (20675010).