Adsorption interaction parameter of polyethers in ternary mobile phases: the critical adsorption line.

It is shown that in LC of polymers, the interaction parameter in ternary mobile phases can be described by a plane, which is determined by the dependencies in binary mobile phases. Instead of a critical adsorption point, critical conditions are observed along a straight line of composition between the two critical points in binary mobile phases. Consequently, a separation of block copolymers under critical conditions for one block by an adsorption mechanism for the other block can be achieved in ternary mobile phases of different compositions, which allows an adjustment of the retention of the adsorbing block.