Gel Permeation Chromatography . I . A New Method for Molecular Weight Distribution of High Polymers

Polystyrene gels crosslinked in the presence of dilucnts have been iliatie in tinc-iiii.sli bead forni suitable for packing into chromatographic rolurnns. A series of narrow molecular weight range pol) mer fractions w&s eluted through such columns with aromatic and chlorinated solvents. EfHuent concentrations were detected and recorded by a continuous differential refractoineter. The fractions were shown to be efficiently separated. Columns capable o f separating adjacent polymeric samples of high niolecular weight were prepared from gels crosslinked in the presence of large amounts of diluents having little or no solvent action on polystyrene. Smaller proportions of diluents and those with niore solvent action yielded columns with lower molecular weight permeability limits. Such studies provided a unique quantitative view of the tnpdIJgy of the gels. They :&w denionstratcd that rapid repetitive niolecular weight distribution data can be obtained in this way on pdyniws for which solvents wmp:ttiI)k with tlic gcls :in* available.