10 reasons why polymer scientists need multi-detector GPC

When we are talking to customers about advanced Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) systems, we can explain why ours are the best on the market or how their excellent sensitivities means you can measure polymers with lower molecular weight than ever before.  We could tell you how the latest system, OMNISEC, reduces servicing time and costs with its new design of viscometer. Sometimes though we come across the question of why someone would want to invest in a multi-detector advanced GPC system.

Maybe you are thinking, “I’ve got a conventional system with an RI detector and it works just fine,” or you are struggling to justify the expense to someone else.  To help with this, we’ve put together a new white paper that discusses the top 10 reasons of why you might want to upgrade.

For the full white paper, click this link, but I thought I’d put a summary here as well:

Absolute molecular weight

Do I really need to say more?  Accurate molecular weights regardless of standard or sample type.

Structural insights

Information on backbone changes, branching, substitution all represented clearly in Mark-Houwink and Conformation Plots

Copolymer composition

Analysis of copolymer molecular weight, accurate regardless of the composition.  It is even possible to get that compositional information as well.

Information, information, information!

Multi-detector GPC could be one of the most data rich techniques in your lab. A single experiment can measure a polymer’s:

Molecular weight, Molecular weight distribution and moments, Polydispersity, Intrinsic viscosity, Hydrodynamic radius, Radius of gyration, Mark-Houwink parameters, Branching number, Branching frequency, Concentration, Recovery, dn/dc, dA/dc, UV absorbance, Absorbance spectra,

Molecular weight, independent of system and setup

Absolute molecular weight is independent of the sample’s type but it is also independent of the system, the lab and the day it is run.  This means greater consistency, instrument-to-instrument, day-to-day, and batch-to-batch.

More easily identify experimental issues

It is far easier to see, understand and fix issues such as poor sample solubility, sample/column interaction, or the presence of small amounts of aggregation or degradation products.

Too many standards

Save time and mobile phase by running just a single calibration standard.

Because what you don’t know CAN hurt you!

Hidden differences between polymer batches are the bane of any manufacturer’s existence.  More information means better control and better product so that quality issues don’t waste your time and money.

Your competitors are already using these techniques

Thousands of papers are published every year citing light scattering and chromatography, or SEC-MALS, or multi-detector GPC, or multi-detector SEC.  These are published by researchers who already have this technique to maximize their own or their team’s productivity.  By using multi-detector methods, they are staying at the forefront of polymer characterization research.

Because you can’t afford not to

In a world of tightening margins and tough competition to sell and to publish, better characterization of polymers and better control of their properties through characterization and improved synthesis control, means a better product.  That same information means publishing faster and in higher impact journals.

With these points all in mind, can you really afford not to invest in multi-detector GPC?

Click here to find out more about OMNISEC

Click here to request a demonstration of the system

Click here to request a quote for the OMNISEC system

Related Resources:

Whitepaper – Ten reasons polymer characterization scientists should upgrade from single to multi-detector GPC

Recorded Webinar – OMNISEC for unsurpassed synthetic polymer characterization

Video – OMNISEC for advanced polymer characterization

App note – Measurements of absolute molecular weight of synthetic polymers using OMNISEC

App note – GPC/SEC analysis of polylactic acid (PLA) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) using OMNISEC

Blog post – Perfecting polymer measurements: OMNISEC Q&A