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A Review of Synthetic Polymer Characterization by Pyrolysis–GC–MS

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Abstract

Pyrolysis–GC with mass spectrometry detection (Py–GC–MSD) study of the thermal degradation products of synthetic polymers is reviewed. Due to the high heating speed, accurate temperature reproducibility and a wide temperature range, Py–GC–MSD has been applied successfully for polymer characterization. Introduction of samples using the pyrolysis carrier gas through the split injection port, followed by sub-ambient cryofocusing of the pyrolysis products, has shown to give reproducible chromatograms (pyrograms). One of the advantages of this method is that all compositions of the polymers and additives can be investigated without any pretreatment, providing important compositional and structural information in a simple way. The method is a convenient method for compositional analysis of complex polymer materials. The aim of this review is to describe the kinds of applications for which Py–GC–MSD has been found to be suitable; to present guidelines for method optimization; to survey innovations that have recently been developed or are currently being researched; to point to problems in our understanding of the pyrograms; and to suggest areas in which research efforts might be most effective in realizing the full potential of this technique.

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Abbreviations

ABS:

Acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene

amu:

Atomic mass units

ANN:

Artificial neural networks

DA:

Discriminant analysis

ECF:

Elementary chlorine free

FTIR:

Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry

GC:

Gas chromatography

HMDS:

Hexamethyldisilazane

LPy:

Laser pyrolysis

ma:

Methylacrylate

MALDI:

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization

MALDI–TOF-MS:

Matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization–time of flight-mass spectrometry

Mn:

Number-average molecular weight

MSD:

Mass spectrometry detection

Mw:

Weight-average molecular weight

NMR:

Nuclear magnetic resonance

PC:

Polycarbonates

PCA:

Principal component analysis

PEG:

Poly(ethylene glycol)

PLS:

Principal least squares

PM:

Particulate matter

PMMA:

Poly(methyl methacrylate)

POM:

Polyoxymethylene

PTh:

Polythiophene

Py:

Pyrolysis

PVC:

Polyvinyl chloride

SEC:

Size exclusion chromatography

st:

Styrene

TBBA:

Tetrabromobisphenol A

TCF:

Total chlorine free

THM:

Thermally-assisted hydrolysis and methylation

TIC :

Total ion chromatogram

TMAH:

Tetramethylammonium hydroxide

TMS:

Trimethylsilyl

TOF:

Time of flight

VOCs:

Volatile organic compounds

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the Isidro Parga Pondal grants awarded to R. Rial-Otero and J.-L. Capelo by the Xunta de Galicia (Autonomic Community Government in NW Spain, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Analytical and Food Chemistry Department, University of Vigo, Ourense Campus, 32004, Ourense, Spain

    Raquel Rial-Otero, Marco Galesio, José-Luis Capelo & Jesús Simal-Gándara

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  1. Raquel Rial-Otero
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  2. Marco Galesio
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  3. José-Luis Capelo
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  4. Jesús Simal-Gándara
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Correspondence to Jesús Simal-Gándara.

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Rial-Otero, R., Galesio, M., Capelo, JL. et al. A Review of Synthetic Polymer Characterization by Pyrolysis–GC–MS. Chroma 70, 339–348 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1365/s10337-009-1254-1

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