Abstract
An appealing approach to analysis of polymers is their direct analysis by mass spectrometry. Because mass spectrometry allows direct measurements relevant to end groups, cross-linking information, repeating units, and dispersity, it has many advantages lacked by nonspecific techniques. However, the need for mass spectrometric samples to be measured in the gaseous state has been a vexing problem and the single biggest hindrance to widespread use of mass spectrometry for polymer analysis. Depending upon the mass analyzer used, such methods provided either fingerprint information or more complete polymer distribution data. This chapter reviews the developments and considers the current state-of-the-art with respect to mass spectrometric polymer analysis. There has been a substantial progress over the past twenty years in the capabilities of mass spectrometry for characterizing polymers. These advances can primarily be attributed to the spectacular developments in ion source design, which resulted in Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/lonization (MALDI) and Electrospray Ionization (ESI) becoming routinely available with all types of mass spectrometers. Thus, practical mass spectrometry of such high mass polymers remains an unsolved problem at the time of this writing.
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