The invention relates to liquid chromatography techniques for rapidly
characterizing samples, such as polymer solutions, emulsions and
dispersions, and to devices for implementing such techniques. The system
includes a design that provides the ability to perform chromatographic
separations by using mobile phase composition gradients and temperature
gradients during separations. The invention accomplishes this by
providing mixing zones for a plurality of fluids as well as heated and
chilled feeds feeding the fluids to the mixing zones. Additionally, the
system provides the ability to analyze separated components with a
detector and/or collect separated fractions into vessels of a fraction
collector for further separation and/or analysis.