Polymer characterization and degradation: Pyrolysis-GC/MS techniques

Abstract

This entry examines several recent advances in pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py–GC/MS). The use of analytical pyrolysis coupled to GC/MS in polymer studies has greatly increased in the past few years because of the hyphenation between a technique permitting a fast thermal program to yield volatile fragments with a powerful tool for their identification. The classical application of Py–GC/MS to thermoplastics has been extended recently to thermosets and even to biopolymers and biocomposites. The use of these techniques to study alternative methods for waste treatment has also been considered as an important and recent feature, showing possibilities for further improvement in the amount of its applications. A brief overview on the identification of polymer additives by Py–GC/MS has also been carried out.