Viscosity–molecular weight relationships for poly(ethylene terephthalate) in hexafluoroisopropanol–pentafluorophenol using SEC–LALLS

Viscosity–molecular weight characterization of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) in hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP), pentafluorophenol (PFP), and HFIP/PFP is reported for the first time using size exclusion chromatography-low angle laser light scattering (SEC–LALLS) measurements. These strong solvents are capable of dissolving PET under very mild conditions and therefore minimize polymer degradation. In addition these solvents are capable of dissolving PET samples which have poor solubility in more traditional PET solvents such as orthochlorophenol (OCP) and phenol/tetrachloroethane (PTCE). By combining molecular weight information, obtained without the need of any SEC calibration curves, with intrinsic viscosity measurements, on several broad molecular weight PET samples, the Mark–Houwink coefficients for the five PET–solvent systems mentioned above have been determined. The coefficients correspond to those which would be obtained by using a large number of relatively monodisperse samples of PET covering a molecular weight range of about 2 × 10³ to 2 × 10⁵. Data is also provided which shows that intrinsic viscosities for PET in HFIP, PFP, HFIP/PFP, OCP, and PTCE can be determined from a single viscosity measurement at a finite concentration. Data for interconverting intrinsic viscosities determined in any of these five solvents is also given.