Characterization of poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(epsilon-caprolactone) by two-dimensional liquid chromatography.

Block copolymers of ethylene oxide and epsilon-caprolactone were synthesized by microwave-assisted polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone with polyethylene glycol monomethyl ethers as initiator. The samples thus obtained were characterized by two-dimensional liquid chromatography with liquid chromatography at critical conditions as the first and liquid exclusion adsorption chromatography as the second dimension. A full baseline separation of all oligomers could be achieved in both dimensions.