Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry 'helps in polymer analysis'

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is an important technology in thermo-oxidative studies of polymers, reports Research and Markets.

The analyst explains that thermo-oxidation is the process by which polymers lose the specific physical properties that make them desirable.

Without them, the useful lifespan of the polymer is effectively over, making it important to be able to determine how the material will degrade.

"The oxidative and thermal degradation of polymers has very important implications on their suitability for particular end-user applications," the analyst adds.

Among the techniques used to assess polymers' abilities to retain these properties, one method is polymer pyrolysis followed by GC-MS of the produced volatile compounds.

Thermogravimetric analysis and scanning calorimetry can also be applied to the process.

Report author Roy Crompton has around 20 books on analytical chemistry published, having served as a consultant on the subject since his retirement from the industry in 1988 after decades of working on polymer synthesis.