The data presented demonstrates the suitability of an Advanced Polymer Chromatography™ (APC™) System for polyamide gel permeation chromatography (GPC) analysis using 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (commonly known as HFIP) as a more sustainable alternative when compared to traditional separation techniques. Due to the chemical resistance of polyamides, dissolving the polymer in an organic solvent for analysis using GPC is challenging. Many manufacturers use high temperature GPC (typically at greater than 100 degrees centigrade) to determine the molecular weight distribution of these nylon polymers. An alternative GPC analysis, for difficult to dissolve polyamide Nylon 6,6, is using HFIP as a mobile phase with a traditional GPC or an APC System. HFIP is emerging as a sustainable solvent with properties suitable for this type of analysis. An APC System with a sub-3µm APC XT Column bank can operate at high pressures enabling a 15-minute size-based separation of polyamides soluble in HFIP. In addition to high pressure capability, the APC XT Columns have stable beds that resist shrinking and swelling. The advantages of using the APC System over the HT GPC approach translates into a 3-fold time savings and 6 times less solvent consumption, significantly reducing the cost of analysis and boosting laboratory sample throughput.

Advanced polymer chromatography analysis of polyamides in HFIP as an alternative to high temperature GPC

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