Molecular weight distributions of standard polystyrene samples by GPC and by sedimentation velocity analysis

Abstract In precision gel permeation chromatographic (GPC) work, the spreading (zone spreading) characteristics of the instrument must be calibrated. Standard samples of anionic polystyrene have been used for this purpose. The molecular weight distributions of these standard samples, nevertheless, have not been determined carefully. In this work, several standard polystyrene samples obtained from Pressure Chemical Company were examined by GPC and by sedimentation velocity analysis. The results show that (1) the high molecular weight polystyrene samples have skewed molecular weight distributions as has been suspected and that (2) the present data treatment technique for GPC is effective for these very narrow‐distribution samples.