Modern Techniques for Polymer Characterisation

Taking an interdisciplinary perspective, this volume provides a unique insight into the principal characterisation techniques available for determining the size of macromolecules in solution, their structural sequences and molecular weight. Recognition of macromolecules as a distinct state of matter owes much to the availability of various techniques for molar mass characterisation. In recent years, significant progress has been made into refining and developing these techniques but there has been a need for a volume that describes all the principal characterisation techniques and their relevance to various types of material. This book reflects some of the most recent advances and covers such techniques as: Temperature rising elution fractionation Field flow fractionation Static and dynamic light scattering Neutron scattering Vapour Pressure Osmometry/Viscometry Ultrafugation and Sedimentation Gel Electrophoresis of Biological Macromolecules Mass Spectrometry of Polymers The book will be invaluable for all those who are concerned with the study and use of macromolecular materials. It describes the developments that have been made in methods for molar mass characterisation and also the size of molecules in solution and solid phases. As the problem of molar mass characterisation is common to synthetic and biological polymers, this book will be of interest not only to polymer chemists, engineers and technologists, but also for biologists and scientists in numerous allied disciplines.