Intrinsic viscosity–number average molecular weight relationship for poly(1,4‐butylene adipate) diol

The relationship between number average molecular weight (M_n) and intrinsic viscosity (η]) was studied for poly(1,4‐butylene adipate) diol (PBAD) in tetrahydrofuran, toluene, and ethyl acetate at 25°C. Thus, a series of PBAD samples were prepared by polymerization between 1,6‐adipic acid and 1,4‐butanediol. The values of M_n for the samples were determined by end‐group analysis as well as by ebulliometry, and the average difference of M_n between the two analysis ways was about 2.69%. The Mark–Houwink–Sakurada equations for PBAD were obtained to relate η] with M_n in the range of 1900–10,000. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010