Current trends in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization of polymeric materials

Eur. J. Mass Spectrom. 11, 1–14 (2005)
DOI: 10.1255/ejms.718

Current trends in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization of polymeric materials

Giorgio Montaudo
Chemistry Department, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria, 6 95125 Catania, Italy. E-mail:gmontaudo@dipchi.unict.it
Filippo Samperi, Maurizio S. Montaudo, Sabrina Carroccio, Concetto Puglisi
Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Polymers, CNR, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy

ABSTRACT:

In the last few years, mass spectrometry has rapidly become indispensable in polymer analysis and complements in many ways the structural data provided by nuclear magnetic resonance. Mass spectrometry of polymers is emerging as a revolutionary technique, capable of challenging the techniques and protocols established for years for the characterization of synthetic polymers. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) has become a widely applied method for the structural characterization of synthetic polymers. The primary aim of this review is to illustrate some recent advances in the study of macromolecular systems by MALDI. MALDI allows the identification of repeat units and end groups, the structural analysis of linear and cyclic oligomers and the estimate of composition and sequence for copolymers. MALDI is also quite useful for the measurement of molar mass and bivariate distributions in polymers and for the detection of self-association in macromolecules, performed by coupling MALDI and size exclusion chromatography (SEC). Recently MALDI has been applied with remarkable success to the study of thermal and oxidative processes in polymers and to the characterization of copolymers obtained by reactive polymer blending. Selected applications of MALDI to polymers are illustrated herewith.

Keywords: MALDI, SEC-MALDI, polymer characterization, thermal degradation, photo oxidation, reactive blending, molecular sssociation, co-polymers

You can buy this paper on-line in PDF format; it costs only £11.75. Just click on the BUY on-line button. You can pay on-line through a secure server and get access immediately.