Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 17, 2026

Characterization of Synthetic Polymers via Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometry
06:56

Characterization of Synthetic Polymers via Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometry

Published on: June 10, 2018

Molar mass, chemical-composition, and functionality-type distributions of poly(2-oxazoline)s revealed by a variety of

Aleksandra Chojnacka1, Kristian Kempe, Henrik C van de Ven

  • 1Analytical-Chemistry Group, Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 94157, 1090 GD Amsterdam, The Netherlands. achojnacka@gmail.com

Journal of Chromatography. A
|October 17, 2012
PubMed

More Related Videos

MALDI-ToF MS Method for the Characterization of Synthetic Polymers with Varying Dispersity and End Groups06:16

MALDI-ToF MS Method for the Characterization of Synthetic Polymers with Varying Dispersity and End Groups

Published on: October 3, 2025

OLIgo Mass Profiling (OLIMP) of Extracellular Polysaccharides08:43

OLIgo Mass Profiling (OLIMP) of Extracellular Polysaccharides

Published on: June 20, 2010

Related Concept Videos

Determination of Molar Masses of Polymers II01:27

Determination of Molar Masses of Polymers II

Polymer samples typically consist of macromolecular chains with a distribution of lengths, resulting in a range of molar masses rather than a single discrete value. Conventional descriptors such as the number-average molar mass and weight-average molar mass quantify this distribution but do not fully capture polymer behavior in solution..The viscosity-average molar mass provides a more realistic description of polymer behavior in solution because it accounts for the enhanced contribution of...
Determination of Molar Masses of Polymers I01:24

Determination of Molar Masses of Polymers I

Polymerization produces macromolecules with a range of chain lengths due to the random nature of molecular growth processes. As chains form and terminate at different stages, a single polymer sample contains molecules of varying sizes rather than a uniform structure. This variability is described using average molar masses and distribution-related parameters, which together provide a comprehensive understanding of polymer characteristics.The distribution of molar masses plays a critical role in...
Polymers: Molecular Weight Distribution01:10

Polymers: Molecular Weight Distribution

For any given polymer, the weight average molecular weight (Mw) is higher than, if not equal to, the number average molecular weight (Mn). The only situation in which the weight average molecular weight and the number average molecular weight are equal is when a polymer consists only of chains with equal molecular weight. However, this never happens in a synthetic polymer, since it is difficult to control the polymerization process up to a molecular level with accuracy to a hundred percent.
Polymers: Defining Molecular Weight01:01

Polymers: Defining Molecular Weight

Unlike small molecules with definite molecular weights, polymers are a mixture of individual polymer chains of varying lengths, each with a unique molecular weight. So, the molecular weight of a polymer is expressed as an average value based on the average size of the polymer chains. The two most common forms of averages used for polymers are the number average molecular weight and weight average molecular weight.
The number average molecular weight (Mn) is the summation of the number...
Mass Spectrum: Interpretation01:24

Mass Spectrum: Interpretation

An unknown compound can be established by identifying the molecular ion peak in the mass spectrum. The molecular ion peak is often weak or absent due to the predominance of fragmentation in high-energy electron beams. In such cases, a soft-energy electron beam can be used to scan the spectrum to enhance the intensity of the molecular ion peak. Additionally, chemical ionization, field ionization, and desorption ionization spectra are used to obtain a relatively intense molecular ion peak.To...
Mass Spectrometry: Complex Analysis01:21

Mass Spectrometry: Complex Analysis

Mass spectrometry is an important technique for the identification of pure compounds. However, it has some limitations for the analysis of complex mixtures, often due to excessive fragmentation making the spectrum too complicated to decipher. Mass spectrometry can be combined with suitable separation methods in sequence, forming hyphenated methods, which are useful in the analysis of complex mixtures.
GC–MS is a powerful hyphenated method commonly used in forensics and environmental...