Architectural Differentiation of Linear and Cyclic Polymeric Isomers by Ion Mobility Spectrometry-Mass Spectrometry

An extra dimension of polymer analysis: ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry (IMS-MS) separates ions according to their size in the gas phase, allowing differentiation of linear and cyclic polymeric isomers. This analytical technique is a rapid and sensitive method for assessing cyclic polymer purity in one step. As highly pure cyclic polymers are crucial for adequately assessing architecture dependent properties, IMS–MS offers great promise in the characterization of this unique class of polymers.