This document introduces the technical overview of combining gel permeation chromatography (GPC) with Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. A linear concentration response is required for FT-IR to be successfully employed in GPC. The coupling of these techniques allows the composition of copolymers and blends to be investigated, providing a wealth of information.
This document describes the technique of combining gel permeation chromatography (GPC) with Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy to analyze copolymers and polymer blends. It highlights the requirement for a linear concentration response in FT-IR to generate chromatograms for GPC calculations.
The interface permits FT-IR to be successfully and routinely coupled to gel permeation chromatography, allowing time-resolved spectra to be obtained of materials eluting from a GPC column set.
A series of polystyrene and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) standards were injected at varying concentrations to obtain time-resolved spectra.