Working Group of Transport and Separation Processes

Head: Jiří Horský, PhD (phone +420-296 809 296, e-mail horsky @imc.cas.cz)

Research

Members of the group have a strong background in the characterization of polymers by physicochemical methods utilized for investigation of interactions in complex liquid polymer systems. The principal methods used are rheometry and size exclusion chromatography (SEC) with multiple detection, frequently used in combination with various light scattering techniques. The characterization potential was greatly enhanced by recent acquisition of a MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer Biflex III (see the photograph). The topics under study include:

• the effect of thickeners on flow properties of acrylate latices
• electrorheology of polyaniline suspensions
• improvement in the methodology of SEC with multiple detection (refractive index, UV absorption, light scattering, viscosity, solute content) for determination of molecular weight distribution and branching of polymers
• formation of complexes between polymers and low-molecular-weight compounds (e.g., inclusion complexes of cyclodextrins, interactions of polysaccharides with surfactants)
• phase behavior of polymer solutions.

Although of basic research character, the projects of the group are related to application areas such as water-borne coatings or drug delivery.

GPC analysis of two samples (red and blue curves) of epoxy resins with molecular weight around 10 000: full line - dependence of refractometer signal (proportional to concentration) on elution volume, points - dependence of molecular weight from light scattering detector on elution volume

Send your comments to:
stepan@imc.cas.cz
Last update: 22.04.2004