Calibration procedure for gel permeation chromatography

Abstract

Abstract A novel procedure is presented for calibrating a gel permeation chromatograph by using broad polymer fractions. The limit in accuracy is set by the accuracy of number‐average and weight‐average molecular weight measurements and the reproducibility of the chromatograph. In the particular calibration for linear polyethylene described here, low molecular weight fractions were prepared by nitric acid oxidation of annealed single crystals. The calibration is then of particular value in morphological studies of polyethylene. The influence in the calibration of polar endgroups on the polymer, as produced in these oxidized samples is discussed.