Introduction:

Molecular weight is the mass of a molecule. It is calculated as the sum of the atomic mass of
each constituent atom multiplied by the number of atoms of that element in the molecular
formula. In polymer molecular weight is very high because there are millions of atoms. So
average molecular weight is used for polymer.
There are four types of average molecular weight such as:
I. Number average molecular weight
II. Weight average molecular weight
III. Z average molecular weight
IV. Viscosity average molecular weight

Various types of method are used to determine the average molecular weight. [2] Among them
1)Cryoscopy to determine number-average molecular weight.
2)Ebulliometry to determine number-average molecular weight.
3)Osmometry to determine number-average molecular weight.
4)End group analysis to determine number-average molecular weight.
5)Viscometry to determine viscosity-average molecular weight.

Theory: A method has been developed for the calculation of detailed and absolute molecular
weight distributions for complex polymer samples. The method requires that a sedimentation
velocity experiment be performed on at least three dilute concentrations of the polymer in
solvent. Consider two liquids are passing through a capillary of same viscometer. One is solvent
and other is solution. After the solvent blown up into the upper viscometer bulb by means of
bellows and the time of efflux of the solvent noted. Now using the equation,
The specific viscosity= (𝑇𝑖𝑚� �𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢� 𝑜𝑓 �ℎ� 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑚�� 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢�𝑖𝑜�/𝑇𝑖𝑚� �𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢� 𝑜𝑓 �ℎ�
𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣���) −1
Therefore ɳ𝑠𝑝 = �/�𝑜−1
From the Mark-Houwink equation [4] the relationship among the molecular weight and viscosity
are given below,
[ɳ] =�′𝑀�……………..(1)
From specific viscosity,
[ɳ]=ɳ𝒔𝒑�
Using those value, we can say that,
M=([ɳ]�′)1�………………………(2)
This equation helps us to get molecular weight of polymer.

Apparatus:
1)Ostwald viscometer with fittings.
2) Benzene
3) Polystyrene samples
4)Stoppered bottle

5) Stop watch

Procedure:
a) First a pure solvent like water is introduced into the viscometer and then blow on up into the
upper viscometer bulb by pipet. When the pipet is removed the upper bulb gradually becomes
empty and measured the whole time to be empty. This is time efflux of the pure solvent.
b) Remove the pure solvent from the viscometer and then introduce the solution 1 which is the
mixture of benzene (15 ml) and polymer (5 ml). Measure the efflux time for the solution 1 as the
same procedure of (a).
(c)Similarly determine the efflux time for solution 2 (Benzene 10 ml and polymer 10 ml) and
solution 3 (Benzene 5 ml and polymer 15 ml)

Result and Calculation:

Concentration Time efflux of Time efflux of ɳ𝑠𝑝 = �/�𝑜−1 ɳ=ɳ𝒔𝒑/� Average of
Of solution solvent(to) the polymer ɳ (L/mg)
C(ppm) solution(t)

.25 24 .41 1.64

.50 17 26 .52 1.04 .99
.75 21 .23 .30

From the Mark-Houwink equation the relationship among the molecular weight
[ɳ] =�′𝑀�
�′=18.5×10−3 ml/g
a=0.75
Therefore,
0.99 = (18.5×10−3) × 𝑀0.75
Or, M=201.66 gm

Discussion: The molecular weight of styrene is found 201.66 gm. But the actual molecular
weight of styrene is 104.5gm. The deviation occurs because of there may be some error in
measuring efflux time, and may be measuring of weight while making different solution. To
determine molecular weight, viscometric method is mainly used because it’s inexpensive in
comparison to those used in other sophisticated technique, and the measurement of flow time is
very simple