Characterization and Properties of Macromolecules. XII. Numerical Treatment of Gel Permeation Chromatography Data

Abstract

Gel permeation chromatography provides a continuous recording of polymer concentration as a function of elution time. The latter may be converted by appropriate calibration into molecular weight. The chromatogram may be analyzed numerically to yield the various molecular weight averages. This process involves a number of assumptions and approximations. The magnitude of the errors introduced in the calculated molecular weight averages by the methods described in the literature are reported.