RAPID CHARACTERIZATION OF POLYMERS

A method for characterizing a polymer sample that includes the steps of withdrawing a polymer sample from a sample container into an injection probe of an auto- sampler where the probe is heated to maintain the withdrawn sample at a temperature of not less than about 75 degrees Celsius while resident in the probe. The heated injection probe resides in a first environment maintained at about ambient temperature while withdrawing the polymer sample. The method further includes loading at least a portion of the withdrawn sample into an injection port or a loading port of a liquid chromatography system where the injection port or loading port is adaptable for fluid communication with a chromatographic column. The chromatographic column resides in a heated second environment maintained at a temperature of not less than about 75 degrees Celsius. The loaded sample is injected into a mobile phase of the liquid chromatography system. The sample is maintained at a temperature but not les s than about 75 degrees Celsius during a period of time including from when the sample is withdrawn from the sample container to when the sample is within the heated second environment. The injected sample is chromatographically separated and a property of the sample or a composition thereof is detected.