GPC System Provides Customers with in- Depth polymer Structure Data

The installation of a multi-detection Viscotek TDAmax gel permeation chromatography (GPC) system from Malvern Instruments is enabling Dow Corning Europe SA in Belgium to meet customer demand for increasingly comprehensive polymer structure data.

In addition, Dow Corning experts are saving resources by applying rapid, cost-effective GPC methods to pre-select the most promising new polymer candidates, significantly reducing the number of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) investigations required wherever possible.

“We’re seeing increased demand from our customers for structural data and for more in-depth characterisation of polymer and co-polymer samples,” said Mr Stephane Cornelis, Global Business Service - Analytical Sciences, Dow Corning Europe SA.

“Structural information is beneficial because we can quickly compare samples and characterise any changes in behaviour following polymer grafting, for example.

The Viscotek GPC with triple detection uses an easyto- read Mark-Houwink-Sakurada plot to visualise changes in molecular weight and intrinsic viscosity against a reference sample. This is a real time saver,” explained Mr Cornelis.

“He continued: “By using multiple-detection GPC to characterise new polymer candidates we have been able to pre-select only the most interesting for further study. This has allowed us to reduce the number of more expensive and time consuming NMR investigations.”