Reversed phase behaviour of high molar mass polystyrenes in acetonitrile with halogenated methane solvent mixtures

The reversed phase behaviour of high molecular mass polystyrenes was investigated on a C18 bonded phase column using acetonitrile as the polar mobile phase component and dichloromethane, chloroform and carbon tetrachloride, as separate nonpolar components. Solvent solubility compositions, elution compositions and resolutions of the various molar mass polystyrenes were measured and compared for each of the three mobile phases. Anomalous behaviour of the polystyrenes was not observed in any of the three mobile phases and only minor differences in resolution were observed. By comparing these results with previously published work, it is suggested that any mobile phase component that is both nonpolar and a good solvent for the polymer can be combined with acetonitrile for effective separations of polystyrenes by mass and that it is the poor solvent component of the mobile phase that is responsible for the anomalous behaviour that is sometimes observed in this type of chromatography.