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Polymers: Molecular Weight Distribution

Polymers: Molecular Weight Distribution

For any given polymer, the weight average molecular weight (Mw) is higher than, if not equal to, the number average molecular weight (Mn). The only situation in which the weight average molecular weight and the number average molecular weight are equal is when a polymer consists only of chains with equal molecular weight. However, this never happens in a synthetic polymer, since it is difficult to control the polymerization process up to a molecular level with accuracy to a hundred percent.

Polymers

Polymers

The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the...

Polymers: Defining Molecular Weight

Polymers: Defining Molecular Weight

Unlike small molecules with definite molecular weights, polymers are a mixture of individual polymer chains of varying lengths, each with a unique molecular weight. So, the molecular weight of a polymer is expressed as an average value based on the average size of the polymer chains. The two most common forms of averages used for polymers are the number average molecular weight and weight average molecular weight.
The number average molecular weight (Mn) is the summation of the number...

Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity

Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity

Polymerization generates chiral centers along the entire backbone of a polymer chain. Accordingly, the stereochemistry of the substituent group has a significant effect on polymer properties. Polymers formed from monosubstituted alkene monomers feature chiral carbons at every alternate position in the polymer backbone. Relative to the predominant orientation of substituents at the adjacent chiral carbons, the polymer can exist in three different configurations: isotactic, syndiotactic, and...

Polymer Classification: Crystallinity

Polymer Classification: Crystallinity

Unlike ionic or small covalent molecules, polymers do not form crystalline solids due to the diffusion limitations of their long-chain structures. However, polymers contain microscopic crystalline domains separated by amorphous domains.
Crystalline domains are the regions where polymer chains are aligned in an orderly manner and held together in proximity by intermolecular forces. For example, chains in the crystalline domains of polyethylene and nylon are bound together by van der Waals...

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Step-growth or condensation polymerization is a stepwise reaction of bi or multifunctional monomers to form long-chain polymers. As all the monomers are reactive, most of the monomers are consumed at the early stages of the reaction to form small chains of reactive oligomers, which then combine to form long polymer chains in the late stages. Hence, the reaction has to proceed for a long time to achieve high molecular weight polymers.
Many natural and synthetic polymers are produced by...

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Updated: May 22, 2025

Polymer Microarrays for High Throughput Discovery of Biomaterials

Polymer Microarrays for High Throughput Discovery of Biomaterials

Published on: January 25, 2012

PolyCrit: An Online Collaborative Platform for Polymer Characterization.

Brinton King Eldridge¹, Dillon T A Baker¹, Yongmei Wang¹

¹Department of Chemistry, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, 38152, USA.

Journal of Chromatography. A

|March 12, 2025

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Polymer liquid chromatography at critical conditions (LCCC) simplifies polymer analysis by making elution time independent of molecular weight. A new database, PolyCrit, organizes critical LCCC conditions to enhance this powerful separation technique.

Keywords:

Collaborative platform Database Liquid chromatography at critical conditions (LCCC)Machine learning PolyCrit Polymer

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Area of Science:

Polymer Science
Chromatography
Analytical Chemistry

Background:

Polymer liquid chromatography at critical conditions (LCCC) enables separation based on polymer topology, branching, and end-group functionality by making elution time independent of molecular weight.
LCCC's potential is limited by complex optimization and fragmented data, hindering its widespread application.
Existing literature on LCCC conditions is scattered, requiring extensive searches for researchers.

Purpose of the Study:

To address the challenges of LCCC optimization and data accessibility.
To develop a centralized, searchable database of critical chromatography conditions for polymers.
To facilitate the utilization of LCCC for advanced polymer characterization.

Main Methods:

Developed PolyCrit, an online database compiling 428 critical chromatography conditions.
Organized data by 33 key parameters including polymers, solvents, and stationary phases.
Implemented a quality scoring system for data reliability and a validation process for community contributions.

Main Results:

PolyCrit centralizes decades of LCCC literature into a single, accessible platform.
The database provides detailed information on polymers, solvents, stationary phases, and chromatographic parameters.
A quality scoring system and validation process enhance data trustworthiness.

Conclusions:

PolyCrit significantly reduces the effort required for literature searches to apply LCCC.
The database promotes wider adoption and application of LCCC for polymer analysis.
Researchers are encouraged to contribute their experimental data to expand the database.