Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) plays an important role in the characterization of polar organic-soluble and organic-soluble polymers in consumer, chemical and petrochemical industries.
TSKgel Alpha and TSKgel SuperAW columns are designed for the GPC analysis of polymers of intermediate polarity. These columns contain highly crosslinked hydroxylated polymethacrylate particles which minimize swelling in polar organic solvents.
TSKgel H series GPC columns are optimized for the analysis of organic-soluble polymers and are packed with porous spherical polystyrene divinylbenzene (PS-DVB) particles. This series includes TSKgel HXL, HHR, SuperH, SuperHZ, and SuperMultiporeHZ columns. Each line of columns within this series differs in degree of inertness, solvent compatibility and operating temperature range.
Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) separates molecules based on their size, or more precisely, their hydrodynamic volume. It is based on the discrimination of individual sample components by the pores of the packing material. Large sample molecules cannot or can only partially penetrate the pores and elute from the column first, whereas smaller molecules can access all or a larger number of pores and elute later. SEC is the only mode of chromatography that does not involve interaction with a stationary phase by means of adsorption or partitioning of the solutes. The terms SEC, GFC (gel filtration chromatography) and GPC (gel permeation chromatography) all refer to the same chromatographic technique. In GFC an aqueous mobile phase is used, while an organic mobile phase is employed in GPC. The general term SEC covers both uses.