Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Degradation / Mass Spectrometry Studies of Synthetic Polymers

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Professor Chrys Wesdemiotis of the University of Akron is supported by the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program in the Division of Chemistry to develop new mass spectrometry methods for the characterization of the microstructure of synthetic polymers. Internal and terminal substituents in functional polymers and copolymer sequences will be investigated by tandem mass spectrometry using different ionization and activation methods. A major goal is to ascertain the fragmentation pathways of gas phase polymer ions, so that polymer connectivity and architecture can be derived with confidence from tandem mass spectra. A further objective is to create structural analysis methods for complex polymers that cannot be characterized directly. In these cases, the polymers will be degraded selectively to simpler pieces that can be analyzed by mass spectrometry to reconstruct the original structures. Depending on the complexity of the systems under study, these experiments will be interfaced with chromatographic separation of the original or degraded sample.This work will make possible complete identification of the major and minor products formed in new polymerization reactions, a prerequisite for understanding their mechanisms and designing the proper synthesis for commercial viability. This research will impact polymer studies at the University of Akron and nearby companies and institutions, which have traditionally embraced a strong interdisciplinary program in synthetic polymers. In addition, this project will educate students and post-doctoral researchers in the steadily expanding areas of analytical mass spectrometry and materials research.