Use of laboratory robotics for gel permeation chromatography sample preparation: Automation of high-temperature polymer dissolution

• Published in: Journal of applied polymer science Vol. 64; no. 8; pp. 1613 - 1623
• Main Authors: Poché, Drew S., Brown, Raymond J., Morabito, Paul L., Tamilarasan, R., Duke, Daniel J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York John Wiley & Sons, Inc 23.05.1997; Wiley
• Subjects: Applied sciences; automation; Exact sciences and technology; GPC; high-temp dissolution; laboratory robotics; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; polymer dissolution; Properties and characterization; Structure, morphology and analysis; Automatic operation; Sample preparation; Molecular weight determination; Polymer; Laboratory equipment; High temperature; Experimental study; Dissolution; Robotics; Gel permeation chromatography
• ISSN: 0021-8995; 1097-4628
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-4628(19970523)64:8<1613::AID-APP18>3.0.CO;2-Y

Manual preparation of polymer samples for molecular weight characterization by solution methods such as gel permeation chromatography (GPC) is a time‐consuming, labor‐intensive, and redundant task. Preparation of samples for high‐temperature GPC characterization further complicates the procedure. A typical manual high‐temperature sample preparation exposes the analyst to both hot surfaces and solvent vapors. An automated system to prepare samples for high temperature GPC analysis has been developed. The system is based on a Zymark laboratory robotic system, and custom hardware peripherals developed at The Dow Chemical Company. The automated procedure performs all the steps required to prepare samples for high‐temperature GPC analysis, including the hot steps. The samples were analyzed using the Waters 150‐C GPC in combination with the differential refractive index (DRI) and low‐angle laser light scattering (LALLS) detectors to demonstrate the reproducibility and reliability of the automated procedure. The system hardware, software options, and performance are presented in this paper. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 64: 1613–1623, 1997