Comparison of Four Commercial Linear Aqueous Size Exclusion Columns and Four Sets of Commercial Polyethylene Oxide (PEO) Standards for Aqueous Size Exclusion Chromatography of Polyvinylpyrrolidone and PEO

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the columns and polyethylene oxide (PEO) standards for aqueous size exclusion chromatography of polyvinylpyrrolidone. Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) is the most practical method to determine the molecular weight (MW) and molecular weight distribution (MWD) of polymers. It is also the simplest method to obtain an overlay of MWD of two polymers. Column and calibration standards are two important factors in determining the quality of the MW and MWD obtained from SEC. This study discusses the effects of column, mobile phase, and PEO standards on the MW and MWD of PVP. The TSK G2500 PWxL column, TSK G3000 PW column, and Ultrahydrogel column are very similar in composition. Shodex OH-pak KB-80M is only slightly different from these three columns in composition. TSK PWxL, Shodex OH-pak KB-80M, and SB806MHQ columns are equivalent for SEC of a quaternized poly-(VP/DMAEMA) in a pH 7 mobile phase.