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Related Concept Videos

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...
Tandem Mass Spectrometry01:21

Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Tandem mass spectrometry is a technique that uses multiple mass analyzers in series to obtain a higher selectivity and reduce chemical noise during analyte detection. Instruments with multiple analyzers separated by an interaction cell enable secondary fragmentation and selected study of the fragment ions.Secondary fragmentations occur in the interaction cell and can be induced by various factors. Fragmentation induced by collision with inert gases, such as N2, Ar, He, etc., is called...
Electrophoresis: Overview01:20

Electrophoresis: Overview

Electrophoresis is a powerful analytical separation technique that relies on the differential migration of charged species when subjected to an electric field. The core strength of electrophoresis lies in its ability to separate high-molecular-weight species in complex mixtures. It has found widespread use in biochemistry, molecular biology, and analytical chemistry, allowing the separation of compounds like amino acids, nucleotides, carbohydrates, and proteins with excellent resolution.
There...
Capillary Electrophoresis: Instrumentation01:20

Capillary Electrophoresis: Instrumentation

Capillary electrophoresis instrumentation typically consists of several key components. A high-voltage power supply generates the electric field necessary for the separation by connecting to an anode (the positively charged electrode) and a cathode (the negatively charged electrode) located in buffer reservoirs at each end of the capillary tube. The system includes a sample vial, a fused silica capillary tube coated with polyimide for mechanical strength through which the sample components...
MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry01:19

MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry

Mass spectrometry is a powerful characterization technique that can identify and separate a wide variety of compounds ranging from chemical to biological entities, based on their mass-to-charge ratio (m/z). The instruments that allow this detection, known as mass spectrometers, have three components: an ion source, a mass analyzer, and a detector. These spectrometers differ based on the nature of their ion source and analyzers.Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) is a commonly...
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...

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MALDI-ToF MS Method for the Characterization of Synthetic Polymers with Varying Dispersity and End Groups
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Analysis of complex polymers by multidetector field-flow fractionation.

Harald Pasch1, Ashwell C Makan, Helen Chirowodza

  • 1Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, 7602, Matieland, South Africa, hpasch@sun.ac.za.

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry
|September 3, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Field-flow fractionation (FFF) offers advantages over traditional polymer chromatography, especially for complex polymers. FFF overcomes limitations like sample filtering and shear degradation, enabling better analysis of molar mass and microstructure.

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Area of Science:

  • Polymer Science
  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Chromatography

Background:

  • Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and interaction chromatography (IC) are common polymer fractionation methods.
  • SEC has limitations for high molar mass or complex polymers, requiring sample filtration and risking shear degradation.
  • Polar polymers can pose challenges due to strong interactions and irreversible adsorption in column-based methods.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advancements in field-flow fractionation (FFF) for complex polymer analysis.
  • To highlight how FFF overcomes limitations inherent in column-based chromatography.
  • To compare FFF with traditional methods, showcasing their respective strengths and weaknesses.

Main Methods:

  • Field-flow fractionation (FFF) techniques for polymer separation.
  • Comparison of FFF results with column-based methods (SEC, IC).
  • Discussion of various detector setups, including advanced combinations like FFF-(1)H NMR and asymmetric flow FFF-FTIR.

Main Results:

  • FFF effectively addresses limitations of SEC and IC, such as sample preparation and shear degradation.
  • FFF enables the analysis of molar mass distribution, chemical composition, and microstructure of complex polymers.
  • Advanced detector couplings provide enhanced characterization capabilities for polymer distributions and nanocomposites.

Conclusions:

  • Field-flow fractionation is a versatile and powerful technique for analyzing complex polymers, offering solutions where traditional methods fall short.
  • The choice of detector setup is crucial for comprehensive polymer characterization using FFF.
  • Emerging FFF-detector combinations significantly expand the scope of polymer analysis, including polymer nanocomposites.