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Updated: Feb 26, 2026

MALDI-ToF MS Method for the Characterization of Synthetic Polymers with Varying Dispersity and End Groups
Published on: October 3, 2025
STANDARD REFERENCE MATERIALS FOR THE POLYMERS INDUSTRY
Walter G McDonough1, Sara V Orski1, Charles M Guttman1
1National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD.
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The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides science, industry, and government with a central source of well-characterized materials certified for chemical composition or for some chemical or physical property. These materials are designated Standard Reference Materials® (SRMs) and are used to calibrate measuring instruments, to evaluate methods and systems, or to produce scientific data that can be referred readily to a common base. In this paper, we discuss the history of polymer based SRMs, their current status, and challenges and opportunities to develop new standards to address industrial measurement challenges.
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