This document introduces a liquid chromatography technique for analyzing polymers that can detect very small differences in the chemical structures of polymers. This technique uses critical point mobile phases and is more sensitive to small differences in polymer structure than conventional interactive chromatography techniques, making it a more suitable method for these analyses.
This document details the application of Liquid Chromatography under Critical Conditions (LCCC), also known as critical point chromatography, for analyzing small structural differences in polymers. The technique renders components with the same chemical composition chromatographically invisible, allowing for the detection of co-monomers or end-group functionality that traditional methods might miss.
The note specifically demonstrates the use of a PLRP-S column combined with an Agilent Evaporative Light Scattering Detector (ELSD). It provides experimental results for analyzing amine-modified polyethylene glycol (PEG) and poly(styrene-b-methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) copolymers, showing how critical conditions can isolate specific chemical blocks or end-groups.
| Column | PLRP-S 100A 5 um, 150 x 4.6 mm |
|---|---|
| Column Part Number | PL1111-3500 |
| Flow Rate | 1.0 mL/min |
| Injection Volume | 20 pL |
It is used to investigate very small differences between the chemical structures of polymers, such as co-monomers or end-group functionality.
The Agilent ELSD is recommended for use with PLRP-S columns for these challenging applications.