Nanoparticle improved separations: From capillary to slab gel electrophoresis

The potential application of nanoparticles (NPs) in various fields of separation science has been recognized and significant improvements have been achieved. The properties including electronic, magnetic, thermal, optical, mechanical, and catalytic can be tuned by the size, shape, and chemical structure of NPs. These unique properties and high surface-to-volume ratio have led to application in several analytical methods especially in capillary-based separation techniques. To understand the potentials of novel NPs in electrophoretic separations, we review here advances in materials development alongside a review of the directions in application of NPs in capillary-based systems and gel electrophoresis separations. This review describes recent advances in the use of NPs in electrophoretic separation techniques with emphasis on application in slab gel electrophoresis.