Laser Desorption/Photoionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry of Polymer Additives

Abstract

Laser desorption mass spectrometry has proven to be a very useful tool in the analysis of nonvolatile organic materials. Laser desorption (LD), along with other mass spectrometric techniques such as fast atom bombardment and ²⁵²Cf-plasma desorption, has greatly extended the ability of mass spectrometry to characterize complex substances [1, 2, 3]. Laser desorption with a single laser wavelength has achieved some success in analysis of organic polymer additives [4]. In this case, the desorption laser also acts as the ionization laser, limiting the ion yield and ultimately, the sensitivity. Furthermore, the ion yield may depend critically on the matrix, as demonstrated in matrix-assisted laser desorption of proteins [5].