Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC)

GPC is a powerful analytical technique for determining the molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of macromolecules in a sample.

Gel permeation chromatography (GPC), also known as Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC), is a type of chromatography technique used for separating and analyzing macromolecules, such as polymers, based on their size. In GPC, a sample is dissolved in a mobile phase and passed through a column filled with porous beads. Smaller molecules can enter the pores of the beads and take longer to pass through the column, while larger molecules cannot enter the pores and elute faster. As the sample components elute from the column, they are detected and their concentration is measured. This information can be used to determine the molecular weight, molecular weight distribution, and other characteristics of the sample. GPC is commonly used in polymer chemistry, biochemistry, and materials science for characterizing and analyzing polymers and other macromolecules.

What is GPC Used For?

As described earlier, GPC is mainly used for the determination of average molecular weight, molecular weight distributions, and the overall molecular size of polymers. Based on this, GPC has many industrial and research applications, and some examples are as follows:

Polymer systems materials analysis: GPC is commonly used for the analysis of Polymer systems materials samples, such as such as plastics, rubber, adhesives, and coatings, to determine the molecular weight distribution, composition, and molecular weight averages.
Protein analysis: GPC can be used for the separation and quantification of proteins, based on their size and molecular weight. This is important in the fields of biochemistry, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals for analyzing protein purity, homogeneity, and aggregation state.
Food analysis: GPC can be used for the analysis of food samples to determine the molecular weight distribution of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and other macromolecules. This information is essential for quality control, nutritional labeling, and product development in the food industry.

Application of GPC in Deformulation

In the deformulation or reverse engineering of products, GPC is extensively used. Particularly in the analysis of polymer-based products like paints, adhesives, cosmetics etc., GPC helps in identifying and characterising the different polymeric components including resins, waxes, oligomers etc. In addition, the molecular weight and molecular weight distribution determined by GPC can provide insights into the performance characteristics of the polymer material. This information is valuable in deformulation studies as it helps in identifying the compositional differences between different products and guide the synthesis of a similar or improved product.

How We Can Help You?

As a company with skilled experts and sophisticated technology in GCP, Alfa Chemistry operates extensive advanced GPC facilities with multiple detectors, including

Ultra Violet (UV)
Refractive Index (RI)
Viscometry
Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)

Evaporative Light Scattering (ELSD)
Multi-angle light scattering (MALS)
Low Angle Light Scattering (LALLS)
...

Our team of expert scientists are well equipped in applying this powerful analytical tool in various fields. Whether you're involved in the product deformulation, quality control or research, manufacturing, our team can provide the necessary GPC analysis to meet your needs. We perform rigorous analysis using GPC to provide detailed information for the fields of pharmaceuticals, plastics, chemistry, automobiles, foods, coating and paint, lubricants, adhesives, construction materials (such as cement), packaging materials, rubbers, inks, dietary supplements.

Alfa Chemistry is committed to providing reliable and accurate results, timely analysis and, most importantly, personalised service to help each of our clients achieve their objectives. We are here to help you unravel the complexities of polymer chemistry and material science. Contact us today to discuss how we can support your needs using GPC.

Please kindly note that our products and services are for research use only.