Characterizing Polymer Architecture: Importance, Challenges, Solutions

Polymers are gaining more attention in many new fields such as pharmaceutical applications. However, optimizing the final properties of the polymers associated with these new application areas is challenging for chemists and analysts. Polymer architecture plays a crucial role to optimize the end use or process-related properties. Size exclusion chromatography in combination with advanced detectors such as light scattering, viscometer, and refractive index is a powerful tool for the comprehensive characterization of macromolecules with various architectures. In this podcast, Dr. Subin Damodaran will explain how to understand the structural properties of a polymer by providing their molecular sizes such as radius of gyration (Rg ) and hydrodynamic radius (Rh), and intrinsic viscosity.