Abstract
The characterization of synthetic block copolymers using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was reported. The characterization of co-polymeric surfactants was based on methylpoly(ethylene oxide) (mPEO) and ε-caprolactone (CL) and functionalized with linoleic acid using RPLC-ESI-MS and RPLC-APCI-MS with ionization in positive and negative ion modes. A HP1100 liquid chromatograph and an esquire3000plus ion trap mass spectrometer were used to carry out all analysis. It was observed that for the given block copolymer, un-reacted poly(ethylene glycol), homopolymer of caprolactone, block copolymer, and linoleic acid derivatives of these found in the samples. It was also found that each product was a polymer and showed a molecular weight distribution. Detection based on different ionization system produced different chromatograms for same polymer samples.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 36 |
| Journal | American laboratory |
| Volume | 40 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Publication status | Published - 2008 |