Instruments Used for Polymer Chemistry

GPC (Gel Permeation Chromatography) is a means of separating and analyzing macromolecular samples based on their size. It is a type of size exclusion chromatography. Macromolecular samples, with the exception of natural products, are generally polydisperse in nature. That means they contain polymer chains of varying lengths. As polydispersity increases or decreases, the properties of a sample may vary. The GPC reports polydispersity and the average molecular weight of a polymer chain.

On long-term loan from David Lindt of ITT Engineered Valves, the chemistry department houses a DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimeter). The DSC monitors and reports exothermic and endothermic changes, as well as the temperatures of those changes, of a sample as it is heated. These signal the glass transition phases, any liquid crystalline phases, as well as melting, freezing and decomposition of a sample.