Simultaneous hydrothermal decomposition and methylation: High resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for polymer characterization

✍ Scribed by Oguri, Naoki ;Onishi, Akira ;Uchino, Sigeki ;Nakahashi, Keiji ;Yamasaki, Nakamichi ;Jin, Xigao

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1993
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 399 KB
• Volume: 16
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0935-6304
• DOI: 10.1002/jhrc.1240161006

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

High speed hydrothermal decomposition of some chemically inert condensation polymers in alkaline solutions under near‐critical pressures and temperatures has been investigated by on‐line Curie‐point heating–high resolution GC‐MS. The technique also involves simultaneous methylation with tetramethylammonium hydroxide in a 1 mm i.d. × 20 mm sealed glass capillary. The relative standard deviation for the peak intensity (mol %) resulting from ten replicate measurements of poly(butylene terephthalate) is approximately 3%. This method requires a small amount of sample (ca. 0.1 mg) and provides simple chromatograms, greater structural information, good reproducibility, and rapid reaction (0.5–15 min) without chemical treatment. A brief overview of applications to the characterization of some condensation polymers such as aromatic polyester, polycarbonate, and aliphatic and aromatic polyamide is also described.