Polymer characterization by thermal field flow fractionation with a continuous viscosity detector

摘要

AbstractA sensitive flow viscometer detector has been successfully used with time‐delay, exponential‐decay thermal field flow fractionation (TDE‐TFFF) to produce unique information on polymers. TFFF with a concentration‐dependent detector (e.g., refractometer) and a differential capillary viscometer is unable to produce a universal calibration plot that eliminates the necessity of polymer standards for accurate molecular‐weight calibration. However, this system directly provides valuable information on the inherent (or intrinsic) viscosity distribution of polymers. Absolute intrinsic viscosity values are measured by TFFF without the need of calibration. Detailed TFFF/inherent‐viscosity distribution profiles uniquely describe individual sample differences and are not affected by the experimental conditions used in TFFF separations. These viscosity distributions should be very useful in polymer characterization, since they are closely correlated with polymer end‐use and solution properties, as well as to polymer mo