GPC/SEC System for Polymers and Carbon Materials Characterization

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The purpose of this grant is to provide two researchers of the Department of Chemistry at Université Laval involved in the synthesis and characterization of polymers and carbon materials with a GPC/SEC system. There is an URGENT need to obtain such instrument as the only one available in the Department of Chemistry is almost out of use because it is too old to be supported by the manufacturer. Thus, the two applicants and their graduate students and postdoc will likely not have access to this simple, routine instrument for the basic characterization of their macromolecules very soon. This instrument is very relevant for them since it allows the characterization of the molecular weight and polydispersity index of polymers, in addition to allow purification of macromolecules using semi-preparative columns. The macromolecules prepared by the two PI's research groups are conjugated oligomers and polymers, nanographenes, graphene nanoribbons, open--shell (diradical) polymers. As these macromolecules are often barely soluble at room temperature, an oven to heat the column is necessary to characterize the polymers properly. This SEC system will support the state--of--the--art and innovative research programs of more than 30 scientists (students, PDF and research associates) involved in various areas of chemistry, including materials and polymer chemistry. Obviously, this instrument will also be made available to all others graduate students and postdocs of the Department of Chemistry (150 researchers). The absence of a reliable instrument in our department forces the research groups to send their samples to other facilities in Quebec (and even Ontario), impeding tremendously the progression of many projects and resulting in unnecessary time and money loss. There is no other SEC system with the set of features needed in the Department of Chemistry of Université Laval. Having this instrument is also very important for the training of HQP and for their future career in materials--related areas.