Chromatographic investigations of macromolecules in the critical range of liquid chromatography .10. Polymer blend analysis using a viscosity detector

Binary polymer blends were separated by liquid chromatography at the critical point of adsorption. By operating at chromatographic conditions corresponding to the critical point of one blend component, the blends were separated regardless of the molar mass distributions of the components. After the separation step both components were precisely detected by an on-line capillary viscometer. In contrast to refractive index detection, where a strong solvent peak appears in most cases, the viscosity signal is not affected by sight deviations in the mobile phase composition. Under critical conditions of adsorption of one component both blend components exhibit normal Mark-Houwink behaviour Therefore, the viscosity detector in conjunction with a concentration detector can be used for determining the molar mass distribution of both blend components.