Gel Permeation Chromatography of Natural Rubber

Abstract The Waters Model 200 Gel Permeation Chromatograph has been used to study the molecular weight distribution of natural rubber. The cumulative weight distribution curve of synthetic cis-polyisoprene from the GPC method showed fair agreement with the distribution obtained by fractional precipitation. For natural rubber the agreement was not so good. Natural rubber samples from six clones of Hevea Brasiliensis were examined with the GPC. Differences were observed in their distributions. Five clones showed a distinct bimodal distribution. The weight and number average molecular weights from the GPC were found to be too low. Some possible reasons for this have been suggested.