| Abstract: | To establish optimum operating conditions for high-speed gel-permeation chromatography (GPC), the effects of column packing particle size, solvent flow rate, and column length on the separation efficiency have been investigated by using monodisperse polystyrene samples and polystyrene gel columns (TSK-GEL column, Type-H). Decreasing the particle size of the column packing reduces the time required to obtain a given resolution. Monodisperse polystyrene standards were measured under the optimum operating conditions established (gel particle size 5 μ, column length 2 ft, flow rate 2.5 ml/min). The molecular weight distribution of a polymer mixture was determined in less than 10 min with the same accuracy as by the conventional GPC. Such short analysis time enables one to use GPC for in-plant quality control. |
