Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Using a Cyclic Ion Mobility Spectrometer for Tandem Ion Mobility Experiments
Published on: January 20, 2022
Ion mobility spectrometry/mass spectrometry snapshots for assessing the molecular compositions of complex polymeric
Sarah Trimpin1, David E Clemmer
1Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA. strimpin@chem.wayne.edu
Abstract:
The synthesis of increasingly complex polymers has created daunting, sometimes insurmountable problems for their chemical analysis. The importance is magnified by outsourcing of production and their use in consumer products, including medical devices and food storage, and therefore requires a new generation of technology for quality assurance. Here, we report capturing subtle differences at the molecular level in complex polymer mixtures nearly instantaneously using a prototype multidimensional ion mobility spectrometry/mass spectrometry spectrometry instrument. Bulk activation/fragmentation strategies reported here provide signatures of structural characteristics that permit effortless recognition of minor differences in blends and copolymers, even as structural isomers and from a quantitative perspective. The data displayed as a pictorial snapshot provide a visual pattern that is sufficiently distinctive that computer-aided pattern recognition can be used to address process control and regulatory issues.
More Related Videos
06:16MALDI-ToF MS Method for the Characterization of Synthetic Polymers with Varying Dispersity and End Groups
Published on: October 3, 2025
06:56Characterization of Synthetic Polymers via Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometry
Published on: June 10, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Mass Spectrometry: Complex Analysis
GC–MS is a powerful hyphenated method commonly used in forensics and environmental...
Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Mass Spectrometry: Overview
Peptide Identification Using Tandem Mass Spectrometry
This technique helps gather information regarding the protein from which the peptide was obtained and to study the peptides’ amino acid sequence. Identifying peptides from a complex mixture is an important component of the growing field of...
Determination of Molar Masses of Polymers II
High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS)