A novel determination technique of polymer viscosity‐average molecular weights with flow piezoelectric quartz crystal viscosity sensing

Abstract

AbstractA new method for the determination of polymer viscosity‐average molecular weights was developed with flow piezoelectric quartz crystal (PQC) viscosity sensing. The experimental setup with a 9 MHz AT‐cut quartz crystal and a flow detection cell was constructed and shown to be able to give highly reproducible data under the temperature of 25 ± 0.1°C and the fluid flow rate of 1.3–1.6 mL/min. A response model for PQC in contact with dilute polymer solutions (concentration <0.01 g/mL) was proposed in which the frequency change from the pure solvent, Δfs, follows Δfs = −k6ηl1/2 + k7, where ηl is the absolute viscosity of dilute polymer solution and k6 and k7 are the proportionality constants. This model was examined with poly(ethylene glycol) samples (PEG‐20000 and PEG‐10000) under the aforementioned experimental conditions using water as solvent. The result was Δfs = −1587ηl1/2 + 1443. Based on this model, the method for the determination of polymer viscosity‐average molecular weights, Mη, by flow PQC viscosity sensing was described and examined with an unknown poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVAL) sample. The new method proved to be an attractive and promising alternative for the determination of polymer molecular weights based on the good agreement between the molecular weight determined by the new method (Mη = 58600) for the unknown PVAL sample with that determined by the conventional capillary viscosity method. The new method has some advantages over the conventional viscosity method; for examples, operation is simpler and more rapid; the instruments required are cheaper and portable; the needed sample quantity is smaller; and the experimental setup constructed can be used in continuous measurement. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 82: 63–69, 2001