Uniform oligomers as reference materials for molecular weight determination of polymers

Abstract

Uniform oligomers are special oligomers having no molecular weight distribution. They have been used as reference materials for polymer characterization, especially for accurate molecular weight determination in lower molecular weight ranges. These oligomers are used for different purposes. First, they are used in the calibration for chromatographic or spectroscopic data. Second, they are applied to identifying peaks appearing in chromatographies such as supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) of oligomeric mixtures. Finally, they could give accurate instrumental or physicochemical constants used in polymer characterizations. The uniform oligomers have been prepared by using preparative chromatographies as separation methods. In some cases, step-wise syntheses have been applied together with the chromatographic methods. Recently, we prepared uniform oligostyrenes and oligo(oxyethylene)s whose molecular weights are greater than 1000 by using preparative size exclusion chromatography. More recently, using preparative SFC, some Japanese researchers have prepared high molecular weight and uniform oligomers such as oligo(methylmethacrylate)s. In this article, we briefly review recent progress mainly made by Japanese researchers in the field of preparation, analysis and applications of these pure oligomers.