Combining an up-to-date insight into mass-spectrometric polymer analysis beyond MALDI with application details of the instrumentation, this is a balanced and thorough presentation of the most important and widely used mass-spectrometric methods. Written by the world's most proficient experts in the field, the book focuses on the latest developments, covering such technologies and applications as ionization protocols, tandem and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, gas-phase ion-separation techniques and automated data processing. Chapters on sample preparation, polymer degradation and the usage of mass-spectrometric tools on an industrial scale round off the book. As a result, both entrants to the field and experienced researchers are able to choose the appropriate methods and instrumentations -- and to assess their respective strengths and limitations -- for the characterization of polymer compounds.

Christopher Barner-Kowollik is currently Full Professor of Macromolecular Chemistry at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany. He has published more than 260 peer-reviewed research papers and eleven book chapters. He serves or has served as a member of nine editorial boards of leading peer-reviewed journals and edited the "Handbook of RAFT Polymerization" (2008, Wiley-VCH). Awards he has received for his research include the Edgeworth-David Medal of the Royal Society of Australia and the Rennie Medal of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute. Till Gruendling is currently working as analytical chemist and lab team leader at BASF. His work involves the application and development of state-of-the-art mass spectrometric techniques for analytical problem solving in diverse areas of in industrial chemistry. He completed his PhD at the University of New South Wales under the supervision of Christopher Barner-Kowollik, Michael Guilhaus and Brynn Hibbert. Till Gruendling has published fourteen peer-reviewed research papers and has presented his work at international conferences. Jana Falkenhagen studied chemistry at the Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg. She received a Dr. rer. nat. from the Technical University of Berlin, Germany. She was strongly involved in the development of two-dimensional chromatography of polymers and its launching in industry. Her main field of research at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) is the development of hyphenated coupling methods (LC-MALDI/ESI) for the characterization of complex polymers and copolymers. Jana Falkenhagen is author and co-author of numerous peer-reviewed papers, 4 book chapters and holds one patent. Steffen M. Weidner is head of the Polymer Analysis Group at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM). He received his Dr. rer nat. at the Technical University of Berlin in 1996. He has published 55 peer-reviewed research papers and 3 book chapters. His particular interest is focused on the application of MALDI-TOF MS of synthetic polymers by developing suitable hyphenated chromatography approaches for efficient reduction of complexity. For the last 15 years, he is chairperson of the annual German workshop on polymer analysis by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

Introduction MASS ANALYSIS Introduction Measures of Performance Instrumentation Instrumentation in Tandem and Multiple-Stage Mass Spectrometry Conclusions and Outlook IONIZATION TECHNIQUES FOR POLMYER MASS SPECTROMETRY Introduction Small Molecule Ionization Era Macromass Era of Ionization Modern Era of Ionization Techniques Conclusions TANDEM MASS SPECTROMETRY ANALYSIS OF POLYMER STRUCTURES AND ARCHITECTURES Introduction Activation Methods Instrumentation Structural Information from MS2 Studies Summary and Outlook MATRIX-ASSISTED INLET IONIZATION AND SOLVENT-FREE GAS-PHASE SEPARATION USING ION MOBILITY SPECTROMETRY FOR IMAGING AND ELECTRON TRANSFER DISSOCIATION MASS SPECTROMETRY OF POLYMERS Overview Introduction New Sample Introduction Technologies Fragmentation by ETD and CID Surface Analyses by Imaging MS Future Outlook POLYMER MALDI SAMPLE PREPARATION Introduction Roles of the Matrix Choice of Matrix Choice of the Solvent Basic Solvent-Based Sample Preparation Recipe Deposition Methods Solvent-Free Sample Preparation The Vortex Method Matrix-to-Analyte Ratio Salt-to-Analyte Ratio Chromatography as Sample Preparation Problems in MALDI Sample Preparation Predicting MALDI Sample Preparation Conclusions SURFACE ANALYSIS AND IMAGING TECHNIQUES Imaging Mass Spectrometry Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (MALDI) Other Surface Mass Spectrometry Methods Outlook HYPHENATED TECHNIQUES Introduction Polymer Separation Techniques Principles of Coupling: Transfer Devices Examples Conclusions AUTOMATED DATA PROCESSING AND QUANTIFICATION IN POLMYER MASS SPECTROMETRY Introduction File and Data Formats Optimization of Ionization Conditions Automated Spectral Analysis and Data Reduction in MS Copolymer Analysis Data Interpretation in MS/MS Quantitative MS and the Determination of MMDs by MS Conclusions and Outlook COMPREHENSIVE COPOLYMER CHARACTERIZATION Introduction Scope Reviews Soft Ionization Techniques Separation Prior MS Tandem MS (MS/MS) Quantitative MS Copolymers for Biological or (Bio)medical Application Software Development Summary and Outlook ELUCIDATION OF REACTION MECHANISMS: CONVENTIONAL RADICAL POLYMERIZATION Introduction Basic Principles and General Considerations Initiation Propagation Termination Chain Transfer Emulsion Polymerization Conclusion ELUCIDATION OF REACTION MECHANISMS AND POLYMER STRUCTURE: LIVING/CONTROLLED RADICAL POLYMERIZATION Protocols Based on a Persistent Radical Effect (NMP, ATRP, and Related) Protocols Based on Degenerative Chain Transfer (RAFT, MADIX) Protocols Based on CCT Novel Protocols and Minor Protocols Conclusions ELUCIDATON OF REACTION MECHANISMS: OTHER POLYMERIZATION MECHANISMS Introduction Ring-Opening Polymerization Mechanisms of Cyclic Ethers Ring-Opening Polymerization Mechanisms of Cyclic Ethers and Carbonates Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization Mechanisms of Step-Growth Polymerization Concluding Remarks POLYMER DEGRADATION Introduction Thermal and Thermo-Oxidative Degradation Photolysis and Photooxidation Biodegradation Other Degradation Processes Conclusions OUTLOOK