EFFECT OF HYDROGEN SUBSTITUTION ON THE MASS-SPECTROMETRY AND SIZE-EXCLUSION CHROMATOGRAPHY OF PERFLUORINATED POLYETHER FLUIDS AS DETERMINED BY TIME-OF-FLIGHT SECONDARY ION MASS-SPECTROMETRY

The secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) of perfluorlnated polyether (PFPE) fluids reveals an extensive series of high-mass ions whose distribution depends on the molecular weight, structure, and fragmentation pattern of the oligomers. Analysis by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) showed the fluids to consist of either single or double component systems. Aliquots of the components were collected from the SEC column effluent and subsequently analyzed by time-of-flight SIMS. The oligomer distributions of the PFPE fluids were found to differ both in their number average molecular weight and in the degree of hydrogen substitution. The observed SEC separation was dependent on the molecular weight and the effect of hydrogen substitution on the molecular volume. © 1990, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.