A review, with 51 refs., is given on methods for mol. characterization of synthetic cationic polyelectrolytes. Data of detn. of mol. wt. and mol. wt. distribution of important or new cationic ammonium homo- and co-polymers [polyacrylamides] are summarized and special problems resulting from polyelectrolyte effects are discussed. The Mark-Kuhn-Houwink-Sakurada relationship and the mol. wt. distribution results are influenced by electrochem. parameters and the chem. structure of a polyelectrolyte. [on SciFinder (R)]