Urgent acquisition of a high-temperature gel permeation chromatograph for the analysis of polymers

本提案的目的是获得用于分析室温下不溶于任何溶剂的聚合物的分子量分布（MWD）所需的高温凝胶渗透色谱仪（HT-GPC）。对于所有从事聚合物科学和工程领域的科学家来说，MWD的知识是必不可少的，因为该参数与聚合物的机械、流变、工艺相关、光学和耐用性密切相关。MWD的测定通常在室温或略高于室温的GPCs中进行。然而，许多聚合物，例如受此建议影响的聚合物，只能在高温（140℃以上）下溶解，因此需要能够在这种条件下工作的特定色谱单元。我们要求的仪器将被舍布鲁克大学（UdS）从事聚合物相关领域研究的众多研究人员使用，并将位于UdS化学系。特别是，对于Claverie， Soldera和Huneault组制备/加工的聚烯烃，Zhao组制备的聚丙烯酰胺，Elkoun组加工的聚酯以及Harvey组制备的复杂大分子结构的分析，它将是必不可少的。UdS目前没有这样的工具。随着PI最近抵达UdS，该仪器的收购变得不可避免，因为加拿大没有能够承受支持copi研究所需的分析量的功能仪器。目前，两家公司中有一家明年将停止生产HT-GPC生产线，另一家将处于垄断地位，这进一步加剧了收购的紧迫性。除了对以下研究项目的重大影响之外，这些仪器对于与高分子科学相关的HQPs的培训工作将是至关重要的。由于该仪器将放置在无障碍设施中，配备经过专门培训的人员，我们预计至少有80个hqp将使用该HT-GPC。

The aim of this proposal is to acquire a High-Temperature Gel Permeation Chromatograph (HT-GPC) necessary to analyze the molecular weight distribution (MWD) of polymers which are insoluble in any solvent at room temperature. The knowledge of the MWD is essential for all scientists working in the domain of polymer science and engineering, as this parameter is intimately linked to mechanical, rheological, process-related, optical and durability of the polymer. Determination of the MWD is usually performed in GPCs, operating at room temperature or slightly above. However, many polymers, such as the ones impacted by this proposal, are only soluble at high temperature (above 140 oC), necessitating a specific chromatographic unit which can operate under such conditions. The instrument we request will be used by the numerous researchers working on polymer-related domains at the Université de Sherbrooke (UdS), and will be located in the department of chemistry of UdS. In particular, it will be indispensable for the analysis of polyolefins prepared/processed in the group Claverie, Soldera and Huneault, polyacrylamides prepared in the group Zhao, polyesters processed in the group Elkoun, and complex macromolecular architectures prepared in the group Harvey. No such instrument is currently present at UdS. With the recent arrival of the PI at UdS, acquisition of this instrument becomes ineluctable, as functional instruments able to withstand the volume of analysis required to support the research of the coPIs are not available in Canada. The urgency of the acquisition is reinforced by the fact that out of the two existing vendors, one will discontinue the HT-GPC line next year, putting the other one in a situation of monopoly. Beyond its significant impact on the research programs shown below, the instruments will be pivotal for the training efforts of HQPs associated to polymer science. As the instrument will be placed in an accessible facility, staffed with specifically trained personnel, we envision that a minimum of 80 HQPs will be using this HT-GPC.