Topology Analysis of Chain Walking Polymerized Polyethylene: An Alternative Approach for the Branching Characterization by Thermal FFF

Abstract

Thermal field-flow fractionation (ThFFF) was designed to investigate the retention behavior of a series of dendritic polyethylenes synthesized using a chain walking catalyst (cwPE) with variations in the branching architecture. The retention behavior of these macromolecules correlates with their branching. Based on differences in the Soret coefficient, a new model has been developed for the application of ThFFF as an alternative to the branching calculation approach based on light scattering or viscosity for the branching analysis of novel short-chain branched PEs.