The utilization of DSC in studies of oligomers

✍ Scribed by W. D. Varnell; I. R. Harrison; D. R. Roberts

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1982
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 267 KB
• Volume: 27
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-8995
• DOI: 10.1002/app.1982.070270933

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Oligomers are potentially useful as well characterized models for studying the chemical and physical properties of their long chain homologues. These model compounds are often available only as mixtures which must be separated. This separation may be accomplished using chromatographic techniques, i.e., GPC. Polydispersity (M~w~/M~n~) is often used as a criteria for the extent to which separation has been achieved. Values of polydispersity of 1.01–1.03 are considered indicative of very narrow fractions in the high polymer area. A purpose of this paper is to show that such low values of polydispersity are misleading when applied to oligomers containing 2–20 repeat units. Further, the existence of a single “sharp” melting endotherm is not necessarily proof that one has separated out a single molecular weight component. An intimate mixture of different molecular weight oligomers can give a single narrow endotherm.