Patent ID: 7985593
Filing Date: 2011-07-26
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for GPC/TREF characterization of a polymer sample, comprising the steps of: (a) introducing a sample of a polymer to be characterized into a stream of eluent flowing through a gel permeation chromatography column to produce successive elution volumes from the gel permeation chromatography column wherein the polymer sample elutes therefrom substantially according to the molecular weight distribution of the polymer sample; (b) flowing a first elution volume from the gel permeation chromatography column into a first in-line TREF column at an elevated temperature; (c) flowing a second elution volume from the gel permeation chromatography column into a second in-line TREF column at an elevated temperature; (d) cooling the first TREF column to precipitate polymer in the first elution volume in the first TREF column; (e) cooling the second TREF column to precipitate polymer in the second elution volume in the second TREF column; (f) flowing a stream solvent through the second TREF column while heating the second TREF column to dissolve the polymer precipitated therein into the flowing stream of solvent; (g) flowing the stream of solvent from the second TREF column of step (f) through a flow through detector to detect the polymer in the stream of solvent as the polymer dissolves in the solvent as the second TREF column is heated; (h) flowing a stream solvent through the first TREF column while heating the first TREF column to dissolve the polymer precipitated therein into the flowing stream of solvent; (i) flowing the stream of solvent from the first TREF column of step (h) through a flow through detector of step (g) to detect the polymer in the stream of solvent as the polymer dissolves in the solvent as the first TREF column is heated.