Polymer Research Laboratory

Our “standard” GPC system employs tetrahydrofuran (THF) as the mobile phase, delivered by a Waters 515 pump, with a Rheodyne sample injector.  Separation is effected by two Polymer Laboratories 30 cm PLGel Mixed-C columns kept at 35°C by a Waters column heater box. Three complementary detectors are employed:  1) differential refractive index detector (DRI, Waters 410), 2) dual-wavelength UV/visible absorption detector (UV, Waters 2487), and 3) dual-angle static laser light scattering detector (Precision Detectors PD2020, installed inside the Waters 410 box).  The detector outputs are logged on two PCs and both commercial and home-written analysis software employed for the construction of molecular weight distributions.

This second GPC system employs toluene as the mobile phase.  The system includes a Waters 590 pump and Waters U6K injector; two Polymer Laboratories 30 cm PLGel Mixed-C columns are used for separation.  The detector output  is amplified, filtered, and logged by a PC and home-written analysis software is employed for the construction of molecular weight distributions.