HPLC of Polymers

Book excerpt: 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.