Objective:
The objective of this lab is to become familiar with two techniques for the analysis of molar mass in high-molecular weight materials. Two techniques will be used, gel permeation chromatography (GPC) {or high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC)} and intrinsic viscosity using the Mark-Houwink equation. The samples are polystyrene.

Instruments to be used:
GPC (Crosley Hall, Prof. Neil Ayres (Leanne will help us)
Dilute solution viscometry (Departmental)

Materials:
Several polystyrene monodisperse standards and a commercial sample of polystyrene. Toluene (spectroscopic grade).

Procedure:
1) Prepare 1% by mass samples for the GPC in toluene.
2) Observed the operation of the GPC.
3) Determine the Mark Houwink parameters for polystyrene.
4) Prepare a series of solutions for determination of the intrinsic viscosity. Use the Ubbelohde viscometer to determine elution time for solvent and a series of polymer solutions.

Analysis:
1) Determine the molar mass for the samples studied using the Mark-Houwink equation.
2) Determine the number, weight and z-average molecular weights from the GPC curves.

Questions:
1) What moment of molar mass is obtained in intrinsic viscosity measurements? Is this an absolute or a secondary method? Is GPC an absolute or secondary method?
3) Is toluene a theta solvent for PS at the temperatures used? How do you know this?
4) How do the molar mass moments from GPC compare with the moment obtained from intrinsic viscosity?
5) From your experience in this lab, what are the advantages and disadvantages of GPC and intrinsic viscosity in the determination of molar mass?
6) If a GPC has only an index of refraction detector then how can the retention time be converted to molecular weight?
7) The GPC we used has a light scattering detector, an index detector and a viscosity detector.  Explain how these can be used to obtain an absolute molecular weight from this instrument.
8) Light scattering usually involves the construction of a Zimm plot.  Explain what a Zimm plot is and why a Zimm plot is this not necessary in the GPC?  Under what condition is M_w = M_n?

1/21/00
More Specific Instructions for Capillary Viscometer:

1. Clean viscometer with toluene by rinsing at least 3 times, make sure the capillary has been rinsed.
2. Run pure filtered toluene (3 runs with the same time resulting). About 60 sec.
3. Make Initial Solution:
   For 900 kg/mole PS 0.04g PS in a 25 ml Volumetric of Toluene.
   For 100kg/mole PS 0.2 g/25ml toluene.
4. Drain the viscometer and add 9ml filtered solution.
5. Obtain 3 runs with identical time.
6. Add 6 ml filtered toluene, mix and run again.
7. Add 6 more ml filtered toluene, mix, drain to the line on left, and run again.