Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry of covalently cationized polyethylene as a function of sample temperature

Abstract A pre-charged, low molecular mass, low polydispersity linear polyethylene was analyzed with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry as a function of sample temperature between 25 °C and 150 °C. This temperature range crosses the polyethylene melting temperature. Buckminsterfullerene (C 60 ) was used as MALDI matrix due to the high volatility of typical MALDI matrices making them unsuitable for heating in vacuum. Starting at 90 °C there is an increase in polyethylene ion intensity at fixed laser energy. By 150 °C the integrated total ion intensity had grown by six-fold indicating that melting did indeed increase ion yield. At 150 °C the threshold laser intensity to produce intact polyethylene ions decreased by about 25%. Nevertheless, significant fragmentation accompanied the intact polyethylene ions even at the highest temperatures and the lowest laser energies.