Localized Quantitative Analysis of Polymeric Films through Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry.

Ángela Villaseñor,José-Luis Todolí,Marina Boccongelli,Raquel Sánchez

doi:10.3390/polym13030345

Ángela Villaseñor, José-Luis Todolí + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13030345

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Journal: Polymers	Publication Date: Jan 22, 2021
Citations: 1	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Alicante, Total (Belgium)

Abstract

The present work shows, for the first time, the application of laser ablation connected to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to the localized quantitative analysis of inclusions in polymeric industrial films. The multielemental mapping capabilities of LA-ICP-MS has allowed to chemically examine unique defects appeared during the plastic processing. This analytical tool is perfectly suited to detect elements such as Al, Mg, Zr, Ti, Cr, P, Pb, Sb, Zn, and Si in those inclusions. A method for multielemental quantitative analysis of these defects has been developed in the present work. The profiling for more than 100 different defects in three samples has demonstrated that more than 50% of these inclusions contain aggregates of some of the aforementioned elements. Therefore, the distribution of elements used as additives or present in catalysts must be carefully controlled during the production of polymeric films in order to avoid degradation in their performance.

Highlights

Ablation–Inductively CoupledLaser ablation adapted to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)is an established analytical tool employed for measuring amounts of elements in solid samples with a spatial distribution in the micrometer range [1,2]
It was verified that the signals corresponding to the rest of elements providing ionic counting distinguishable from the background (Zr, Cr, Mg, Ti, Zn, Si, and Pb) did not change as the inclusion in Figure 1 was ablated. The distribution of these elements was uniform in the polymeric film regardless of the presence of inclusions
LA-ICP-MS in combination with a calibration methodology based on the deposition of aqueous standards on the film surface, its drying and its final ablation has demonstrated to be an excellent tool for quantitative localized analysis of inclusions in industrial polymeric films

Summary

Introduction

Ablation–Inductively CoupledLaser ablation adapted to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)is an established analytical tool employed for measuring amounts (or isotope ratios) of elements in solid samples with a spatial distribution in the micrometer range [1,2]. Laser ablation adapted to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Compared with other spatially resolved techniques, such as secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), sputtered neutral mass spectrometry (SNMS) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF), LA-ICP-MS affords higher sensitivities and lower limits of detection and allows determining both major and trace elements in the same sample [3]. Is typically referred to as bioimaging or mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) [5,6]. This kind of assays can be performed in two different ways: (i) in the spot ablation, the micro-sampling of the material is produced from a single point; (ii) when applying rastering or line/multiline ablation, elemental/isotopic spatial distribution is assessed over a surface of a sample [7]. The spatial resolution during surface mapping depends on the spot diameter, whereas the number of laser pulses fired determines the amount sampled

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