Abstract
Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption (MALDI) is a soft ionization technique used in modern day chemistry to analyze polymers with high precision and speed. This technique does not require any polymer standard for mass calibration (as in the case of gel – permeation chromatography GPC). Protocols require only minimum amounts of solvent and consumables. Measurements of the masses of individual oligomers facilitate the determination of masses of monomers and end groups. This overview discusses the application and use of MALDI for the determination of molecular mass distribution of oligomers and end groups. However, biomolecules and other polymers with a polydispersity index (PDI) greater than 1.2 are not suitable candidates for this analysis owing to signal intensity discrimination against higher mass oligomers.
Publisher
International Association of Research Scholars