Calibration of gel permeation chromatography columns using polydisperse polymer standards

Two methods of calibrating gel permeation chromatography columns are given. The first method uses polymer standards that may have broad molecular weight distributions. Either the weight‐, number‐, or viscosity‐average molecular weight of each standard must be known. This method neglects column peak spreading. The second method requires polymer standards of moderately narrow molecular weight distributions for which both the weight‐ and number‐average molecular weights are known. However, the second method determines both the column peak spreading and calibration of the column. The second method is applied to calibration of a column using polystyrene standards. The column peak spreading is found to be small and independent of molecular weight for this column.