Concepts and milestones in the development of ion-exchange chromatography

The development of ion-exchange chromatography as the dominant separation technique for ions of all sizes from analytical to process scale is outlined. The evolution of stationary phase chemistry is described leading to current developments in ion chromatography and biomolecular separations. Process-scale developments are highlighted as the fastest growing area of ion-exchange chromatography while ion chromatography may be more widely used but is a relatively mature technology.