Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) hyphenated to pyrolysis-gas chromatography (Py-GC) has been demonstrated as a powerful tool in polymer analysis. A main limitation to the wider application of the method are the long second-dimension Py-GC analysis times, resulting in limited first-dimension sampling and/or long overall run times. Therefore, we set out to develop an online hyphenated SEC×Py-MS/FID method, removing the GC separation and allowing for a drastically reduced second-dimension analysis time compared to SEC-Py-GC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFModulation interfaces employing sample loops are applied in many hyphenated separations such as two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC). When the first-dimension effluent in 2D-LC is eluted from the modulation loop, dispersion effects occur due to differences in the laminar flow velocity of the filling and emptying flow. These effects were recently studied by Moussa et al.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAn understanding of the composition and molecular heterogeneities of complex industrial polymers forms the basis of gaining control of the physical properties of materials. In the current work we report on the development of an online method to hyphenate liquid polymer chromatography with pyrolysis-GC (Py-GC). The designed workflow included a 10-port valve for fractionation of the first-dimension effluent.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMany industrial polymers which find application in contemporary materials are copolymers. Copolymers feature multiple distributions, that govern their physical properties, including the sequence distribution. Styrene-acrylate copolymers are an important class of polymers, their monomer sequence is typically determined by C NMR which suffers from low sensitivity and spectral resolution.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe chain sequence of co-polymers strongly affects their physical properties. It is, therefore, of crucial importance for the development and final properties of novel materials. Currently however, few analytical methods are available to monitor the sequence of copolymers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAccurate quantification of polymer distributions is one of the main challenges in polymer analysis by liquid chromatography. The response of contemporary detectors is typically influenced by compositional features such as molecular weight, chain composition, end groups, and branching. This renders the accurate quantification of complex polymers of which there are no standards available, extremely challenging.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe proliferation of increasingly more sophisticated analytical separation systems, often incorporating increasingly more powerful detection techniques, such as high-resolution mass spectrometry, causes an urgent need for highly efficient data-analysis and optimization strategies. This is especially true for comprehensive two-dimensional chromatography applied to the separation of very complex samples. In this contribution, the requirement for chemometric tools is explained and the latest developments in approaches for (pre-)processing and analyzing data arising from one- and two-dimensional chromatography systems are reviewed.
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