MOLECULAR-WEIGHT AND POLYDISPERSITY MEASUREMENTS OF POLYSTYRENE BY QUASI-ELASTIC LIGHT-SCATTERING

The molecular weight and polydispersity of a polydisperse polystyrene sample was measured by quasielastic light scattering. The molecular weight distribution of the polymer was represented by the Schultz distribution. The weight average molecular weight and polydispersity of distribution was adjusted until the quasielastic light scattering spectra calculated for the distribution agreed with the measured spectra. The calculation was repeated using the logarithmic normal distribution for the polymer. The calculated value of the weight average molecular weight is accurate and insensitive to the assumed molecular distribution function. However, the calculated values of the polydispersity are only of fair accuracy. Thus quasielastic light scattering gives values of the weight average molecular weight at least as accurate as elastic light scattering and gives a crude estimate of the polydispersity of the polymer. © 1979.