Chromatographic Characterization Of Polymers

The main subject of this book is the characterization of plastics. To a high degree the properties of these polymers depend on the distribution of the molar mass and of other structural features, and small deviations frequently have a great effect. Therefore the characterization of polymers cannot be restricted to the determination of mean values but must yield information on these distributions. Using classical methods, the analytical fractionation of polymer homologues and structurally isomeric polymers is extremely time-consuming. Therefore, efficient chromatographic techniques are being increasingly employed in modern polymer characterization. In the first place, high-performance liquid chromatography is applied, in the form of size exclusion chromatography. It is also possible, however, to use other separation modes. More space is devoted to these other possibilities in this volume than is merited by their current range of applications, as the author believes that many separation problems will be solved by separation techniques of the non-exclusion type. Nevertheless, much emphasis is placed on size exclusion chromatography. Not only because of its current wide range of applications, but also because its relative importance, as a complement to other chromatographic techniques may even increase in the forthcoming years. This book is the first to cover all phenomena related to the above considerations. Starting with an introduction to basic liquid chromatography and to polymer science, it deals with the adsorption behaviour of polymers, with gradient techniques, with the kinetic band broadening in liquid chromatography, with instrumental features and packing materials. The book consists of four balanced sections and related information from about 1800 references is compiled in the tables. Some 250 figures and 30 tables will help give the reader a clear insight of the topics discussed. The book is aimed at helping the analyst or polymer chemist who is looking for information about chromatographic methods for the characterization of polymers.

Presents an overview of the recent developments in the use of hyphenated multidimensional separation and detection techniques for the characterization of polymeric materials. Reports on successful multidimensional chromatographic methods and multiple detector systems. Includes an analysis of compositional heterogeneity in copolymers and blends.

Written primarily to help the polymer chemist in streamlining his analytical techniques.

Presents the methods used for characterization of polymers. In addition to theory and basic principles, the instrumentation and apparatus necessary for methods used to study the kinetic and thermodynamic interactions of a polymer with its environment are covered in detail. Some of the methods examined include polymer separations and characterization by size exclusion and high performance chromatography, inverse gas chromatography, osmometry, viscometry, ultracentrifugation, light scattering and spectroscopy.

Polymers are mainly characterized by molar mass, chemical composition, functionality and architecture. The determination of the complex structure of polymers by chromatographic and spectroscopic methods is one of the major concerns of polymer analysis and characterization. This lab manual describes the experimental approach to the chromatographic analysis of polymers. Different chromatographic methods, their theoretical background, equipment, experimental procedures and applications are discussed. The book will enable polymer chemists, physicists and material scientists as well as students of macromolecular and analytical science to optimize chromatographic conditions for a specific separation problem. Special emphasis is given to the description of applications for homo- and copolymers and polymer blends.

The combination of chromatography with mass spectroscopy is a very useful technique which is being increasingly used by polymer chemists to improve existing polymers and to discover new ones with specific physical properties such as thermal stability and retention of properties over a long service life.This technique is extremely powerful for the analysis and characterisation of polymers and is often based on the use of controlled chromatography - mass spectroscopy to measure a polymer's decomposition with techniques such as pyrolysis, followed by chromatography to separate any breakdown product, and, finally, mass spectroscopy, to achieve an unequivocal identification of the pyrolysis products obtained. The detail that can be obtained by such methods includes structure of the polymer backbone, branching, end groups, isomeric detail and fine detail in the structure of copolymers.The first three chapters of the book discuss the various chromatographic and mass spectroscopic techniques now available.Chapters 3-8 cover the complementary methods, based on the combination of mass spectroscopy with various chromatographic techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography and supercritical fluid chromatography.Pyrolysis chromatography-mass spectroscopy is a method of studying the structure of polymers which involves subjecting the polymer pyrolysis products to a chromatographic technique to simplify subsequent analysis and, finally mass spectroscopy to identify the pyrolysis products with the possibility of deducing finer details of polymer structure than were previously attainable by classical methods (Chapters 9-11).By providing a thorough up-to-date review of work in this field it is hoped that the book will be of interest to all those engaged in polymer research and development, and polymer users in general.