Sample Preparation A small sample of polymer is weighed (10 mg) and placed in a 15-ml stainless steel vial. Then, 10 ml of 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene is added to the vial and the sample is placed in an oven at 120◦C for 3 h. A stabilizing agent, such as Irganox 1010, should be added to the solvent to avoid degradation of the polymer during the dissolution period. Once the polymer is solubilized, a stainless steel filter is placed on top of the stainless steel vial; the filter is pushed down, thus the solution is filtered; in this step, any contaminants are removed from the solution.