Although size exclusion chromatography (SEC) is perhaps the most popular
and widely used technique for determining the molecular weight
distribution of polymeric materials, there have been very few texts
written on this topic. During the past decade, SEC has experienced a
considerable amount of growth in regard to column and detector
technology and new applications. With these advances, SEC can now be
used for determining absolute molecular weight, polymer chain
conformation and size, and branching, as well as polymer solution
properties. This book introduces the reader to the fundamentals of SEC
with emphasis on practical aspects of the technique, such as column and
mobile selection, calibration, new detector capabilities and guidelines
for performing SEC on most types of polymers, especially those of
industrial importance. This book is intended for either those new to the
field of SEC, or for those research workers who require a more
comprehensive background.