Overview

Analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) is a powerful method for the characterization of polymers, biopolymers, polyelectrolytes, nanoparticles, dispersions, and other colloidal systems. The method can be used to determine the molar mass, the particle size, the particle density and interaction parameters like virial coefficients and association constants. Because AUC is also a fractionation method, it is possible to determine the molar mass distribution, the particle size distribution, and the particle density distribution. This book is divided into chapters covering instrumentation, sedimentation velocity runs, density gradient runs, application examples and future developments. In particular, the detailed application chapter demonstrates the versatility and power of AUC by means of many interesting and important industrial examples. Thus the book concentrates on practical aspects rather than details of centrifugation theory.