Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry of Polymers

这项名为“聚合物的飞行时间质谱”的研究项目将由范德比尔特大学的大卫赫拉克勒斯博士进行，并得到分析和表面化学计划以及多学科活动办公室的支持。 该项目是GOALI与杜邦公司的James Edman博士合作的项目。 研究的重点是复杂的共聚物体系。 本研究的具体目标有三：（1）改进有限化学反应技术。 有限化学反应的目标是通过以受控方式化学降解聚合物来部分破坏聚合物链。 所得产物将用于聚合物的结构表征。(2)本研究将利用二次离子质谱（西姆斯）研究嵌段共聚物的表面偏析。 (3)本研究将利用有限化学反应和基质辅助激光解吸电离（MALDI）、二次离子质谱（西姆斯）和电喷雾等质谱技术对聚酰亚胺聚合物这一难溶的复杂聚合物体系进行表征，这一工作在分析化学和高分子化学领域都具有重要意义。 选择的聚酰亚胺类是一种特别困难的聚合物体系，因为它既复杂又不溶。 该项目的范围很大，工作风险很大。这项研究的成功将为更广泛的聚合物分析提供模板。 它将提供聚合物支化和结构的重要信息。

This research project entitled "Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry of Polymers" will be carried out by Dr. David Hercules of Vanderbilt University and is supported by the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program and the Office of Multidisciplinary Activities. The project is a GOALI collaboration with Dr. James Edman of Dupont as a co-PI. The research focuses on complex copolymer systems. There are three specific goals to the research: (1) to improve the technique of limited chemical reaction. The goal of limited chemical reaction is to partially break the polymer chain by chemically degrading the polymer in a controlled fashion. The products obtained will be used for structural characterization of the polymer. (2) This research will study the surface segregation which occurs in block co-polymers using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). (3) The research will utilize limited chemical reaction and the mass spectrometric techniques of matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI), SIMS and electrospray for the characterization of polyimide polymers which are an insoluble and complex polymer system.This work is of fundamental importance both to analytical and polymer chemistry. The polyimide class selected is a particularly difficult polymer system because it is both complex and insoluble. The scope of the project is large and there is considerable risk associated with the work. The success of this research will provide a template for the analysis of broader classes of polymers. It will provide important information on branching and structure of polymers.