Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 15, 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

Application of (1)H DOSY for Facile Measurement of Polymer Molecular Weights

Weibin Li1, Hoyong Chung, Christopher Daeffler

  • 1The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Laboratories of Chemical Synthesis, Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States.

Macromolecules
|January 22, 2013
PubMed

More Related Videos

Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level06:55

Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level

Published on: September 26, 2016

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

Related Concept Videos

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.
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...
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...
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...
Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers01:08

Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers

Step growth polymerization involves bi or multifunctional monomers. Bifunctional monomers react to form linear step growth polymers, whereas multifunctional monomers react to form non-linear or branched polymers.
As the step-growth polymerization involves step-wise condensation of monomers, the molecular weight also builds up eventually. Consequently, high molecular weight polymers are obtained at the late stages of the polymerization, where 99% of monomers have been consumed.
The extent of the...
Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (MALDI)01:08

Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (MALDI)

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) is a powerful analytical technique used in mass spectrometry. It enables the identification and characterization of various biomolecules, including proteins, peptides, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates. MALDI is an ionization technique, widely employed in biological and medical research, as well as in fields like pharmacology and biochemistry.The analyte of interest, a biomolecule or a mixture of biomolecules, is mixed with a suitable matrix...