Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC or SEC-HPLC) is an analytical technique that separates dissolved macromolecules by size based on their elution from columns filled with a porous gel.
When SEC is coupled with light scattering, viscometer and concentration detectors (known as triple detection), it can measure absolute molecular weight, molecular size, and intrinsic viscosity and generate information on macromolecular structure, conformation, aggregation and branching.
By using SEC to measure molecular weight and these other properties, scientists can characterize molecules such as proteins, synthetic polymers, and natural polymers such as polysaccharides.
For all of these molecules, these parameters relate very closely to their performance in countless applications. With this technique:
- Biochemists can understand protein oligomerization, aggregation, conjugation and conformation.
- Polymer chemists can control polymer strength, toughness and performance.
- Pharmaceutical producers can tailor the behavior of products such as eye-drops.
- Food producers can better understand product performance and quality.
For polymer and protein characterization, in polymer, food, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical research, Malvern offers a range of SEC systems or individual SEC detectors, including SEC-MALS, to suit your application needs.