Gel permeation chromatography (GPC), also known as
size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), is a chromatographic
technique that employs specialized columns to
separate natural and synthetic polymers, biopolymers, or
proteins on the basis of their size. GPC is the most widely
used technique for the analysis of polymers, in relation to
other techniques of molecular weight (MW) measurement;
the analysis is very fast (compared to older techniques) and
can be carried out in a couple of hours. It can be used for
samples soluble in organic and aqueous eluents, and for
MWs from approximately 100 to several million daltons
(Da). With GPC, it is also possible to obtain the MW of
polymers that are soluble only at high temperatures. . Besides,
in contrast to traditional techniques, it yields all MW
averages and the molecular weight distribution (MWD).