LCMS/MS and TOF-SIMS identification of the color bodies on the surface of a polymer

The source of discoloration on a polymer surface can often be identified by washing the surface of the discolored polymer to collect the color bodies, then analyzing the washings using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS), with an in-line ultraviolet (UV) detector set at the optimum wavelength for the particular color bodies. A reference sample having no discoloration is also analyzed in the same way. In this paper, results from this methodology are compared with direct time of flight-secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) analysis of a discolored polymer. The benefits and shortcomings of each methodology are discussed.