MRI: Acquisition of an Advanced High Performance GPC/SEC Instrument for Polymer Characterization

Hobart And William Smith Colleges, Geneva NY

Investigators

Abstract

With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, the Department of Chemistry at Hobart and William Smith Colleges will acquire a gel permeation chromatography/size exclusion chromatography (GPC/SEC) instrument for polymer characterization. This equipment will enhance research in a number of areas including a) the molecular design of organometallic oligomers and polymers; b) the synthesis, characterization and evaluation of new copolymers as transacylation catalysts; and c) the influence of allosteric ligands and aggregation state on the activity of skeletal muscle phosphofructokinase I. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) is an extremely powerful technique used for the separation and analysis of complex mixtures, in which components are separated based on their size. This instrument will substantially strengthen scientific research at this primarily undergraduate institution and will allow for the incorporation of polymer and material sciences into the research and teaching programs.