Acrylate polymers are utilized for a host of applications due to their varied physical properties and ease of synthesis. These acrylates are sought after specifically for coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers (CASE) applications because of their stability, high heat resistance, excellent weathering, low temperature performance, and water resistance. Each acrylate monomer individually can yield a homopolymer with widely different physical and chemical properties. Hence, the properties of an acrylate copolymer can be modified by adjusting the ratios of other acrylates during synthesis. Thus, the purity of the acrylate monomer can have unintended effects on the properties of the resulting polymer. It is important for manufacturers in CASE industries to develop robust analytical methods to ensure product consistency.
This application note demonstrates a fast, robust, and sensitive liquid chromatographic method for the analysis of thirteen commonly used acrylate monomers performed with the PerkinElmer LC 300™ HPLC System.