title: Mass spectrometry for the elucidation of the subtle molecular structure of biodegradable polymers and their degradation products.
abstract: Contemporary reports by Polish authors on the application of mass spectrometric methods for the elucidation of the subtle molecular structure of biodegradable polymers and their degradation products will be presented. Special emphasis will be given to natural aliphatic (co)polyesters (PHA) and their synthetic analogues, formed through anionic ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of β-substituted β-lactones. Moreover, the application of MS techniques for the evaluation of the structure of biodegradable polymers obtained in ionic and coordination polymerization of cyclic ethers and esters as well as products of step-growth polymerization, in which bifunctional or multifunctional monomers react to form oligomers and eventually long chain polymers, will be discussed. Furthermore, the application of modern MS techniques for the assessment of polymer degradation products, frequently bearing characteristic end groups that can be revealed and differentiated by MS, will be discussed within the context of specific degradation pathways. Finally, recent Polish accomplishments in the area of mass spectrometry will be outlined.
authors: Polish Academy of Sciences, Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials, 34. M. Curie-Skłodowska St., Zabrze, 41-800, Poland.|School of Biology, Chemistry and Forensic Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, WV1 1SB, UK.
authors: Marek
authors: M
authors: Kowalczuk
authors: Polish Academy of Sciences, Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials, 34. M. Curie-Skłodowska St., Zabrze, 41-800, Poland.
authors: Grażyna
authors: G
authors: Adamus
keywords: ESI-MS; biodegradable (co)polymers; forensic polymer engineering; fragmentation