USE OF MATRIX-ASSISTED LASER-DESORPTION/IONIZATION MASS-SPECTROMETRY FOR MOLAR MASS-SENSITIVE DETECTION IN LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY OF POLYMERS

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometric (MALDI-MS) detection is a powerful alternative to conventional refractive index or ultraviolet detection in the liquid chromatography of oligomers and polymers. As a molar mass-sensitive detector, MALDI-MS is capable of providing information on the molar mass and the chemical structure of fractions from liquid chromatographic separations. Although it is currently used only in the off-line mode, MALDI-MS yields fast and reliable results, consuming minimum amounts of a few nanograms. For a number of applications it is shown that MALDI-MS experiments can be carried out with fractions taken directly from the eluate after chromatographic separations on an analytical scale.