Direct pyrolysis mass spectroscopy, degradation

Liang and Shi [1] used Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and direct pyrolysis -mass spectrometry to elucidate the thermal degradation mechanism of these polymers. 

CoupiGd Pyrolysis Techniques. Perhaps the most powerful techniques currently available are those in which the polymer is pyrolyzed for a short time in a pyrolysis system directly coupled to a modem analytical instmment capable of analysis of the volatile products. Although direct pyrolysis coupled with ftir is available, the most common techniques have been gas chromatography, mass spectroscopy, and combinations of the two. In contrast to tga, these techniques provide no real information on the onset temperature of degradation or on the number of distinct stages, but they can give very detailed information about the products of reaction. 

In order to analyse any material by mass spectroscopy, the sample must first be vaporised (or desorbed) and ionised into the instrument s vacuum system. Since polymers are generally non-volatile, many mass spectral methods have involved degradation of the polymeric material prior to analysis of the more volatile fragments. Two traditional methods to examine polymers have been flash-pyrolysis, gas chromatography-MS and direct pyrolysis in the ion source of the instrument (see Chapter 9). 

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