The Absolute, Entirely Viscometric Determination of the Molecular Weight of high Polymers

The utility of high polymers in all fields of application depends on the average molecular weight. In general, strength, elasticity and tear resistance under sudden stress increase with the molecular weight. On the contrary, processibility and solubility decrease with increasing molecular weight. The opposing requirements for quality and economy lead to the necessity of possessing as accurate a knowledge of the molecular weight as possible, to make certain that the molecular weight of a product is adequate for the requirements of a definite application. Normally, a simple measurement of viscosity will suffice as a test for the characterization of a definite product. The knowledge of the absolute value of the molecular weight is not required in the case where it is possible to arrange different samples in a correct series. However, in many cases a numerical knowledge of the molecular weight is desirable. In the case of the reactions of cellulose, e.g., it is often necessary to determine at what point decomposition occurs. Normally, this is not possible by means of a simple viscosity determination, since its standardization against absolute methods varies with the degree of substitution and the type of solvent. To this must be added, the causes for the occurrence of structural viscosity in solutions of linear macromolecules, which also make it necessary to determine the molecular weight for the evaluation of these high polymers.