Applications
MS can be used for analytical support at every step in the research and
production process from monomer up to polymer, from lab scale via pilot plant
to plant scale, including catalysts, additives, contaminations, impurities and
so on and in nearly every matrix ranging from gasses to viscous- and solid
heavy hydrocarbon fractions.
MS is in combination with separation
techniques such as gas chromatography and liquid chromatography a powerfull
technique for structure elucidation of components in complex organic mixtures.
Classical MS techniques such as probe-MS, Liquid SIMS or Fast Atom
Bombardment, Electron ionisation and chemical ionisation are readily available
for obtaining spectra.
Spectra are acquired in low resolution
(fragmentation/verification) or high resolution (molecular composition) mode
facilitating identification.
Matrix assisted laser desorption
ionisation time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and Electrospray
ionisation (ESI-MS) have extended the mass range of the molecules which can be
analysed and are available for characterisation of oligomers and
macromolecules.
Flow injection analysis - ESI-MS offers rapid
determination of the molecular weight of macro-molecules including
organometallics, chemical composition of oligomers.
Mass spectrometry
is a powerful technique for quantitative analysis of components in mixtures,
particularly, at low concentrations (ppm - ppb).
The MS group has
adapted its spectrometric equipment to specific requirements for the analysis
of water and oxygen sensitive compounds, e.g. metallocenes.
Structure
analysis for verification purposes is partly carried out by our customers by
means of an open-acces GC-MS with or without support from the group for
interpretation.
The MS group is experienced in developing analytical
methods on a short time scale and answering customer’s questions by
translation of the problem into an analytical strategy and performing the
analysis.
