Page 301 - Inorganic Mass Spectrometry - Fundamentals and Applications

Sample Types
Analysis of ~onco~du~tive 287
Grieken, low-melting-point (<lOO"C) polymers such as polycarbonate decompose
readily, even under relatively mild GD sputtering conditions. Marcus and cowork-
ers used a simple plumbing modi~cation of a VG GloQuad system to use the same
of
LN2 supply for both sample cooling and normal cryocooling the discharge cell
volume. This modi~cation not only allowed effective analysis of low melting point
polymers, but also yielded greater temporal stability for all polymer analyses. This
a study that has shown that GD-MS can be
assembly has recently been used in rf
applied to differentiate isomeric fluoro- and hydrocarbon polymers Ratios of
[72].
to
characteristic fragment ion signals were found be very reproducible and unique
for each of the polymers examined. As such, ion ratios in the fingerprint region of
to
the mass spectra can be effectively employed distinguish polymers of the same
a
(or related) chemical forrnula. This capability addresses major point of interest
in many industrial laboratories; when coupled with rapid, depth resolved analyses,
presents a bright future for rf GD-MS.

The power of glow discharge mass spectrometry (GD-MS) in area of ultratrace
the
analysis of specialty metals and semiconductors is unquestioned. The technique
also offers some very positive attributes in the analysis of nonconductive materi-
als such as glasses, ceramics, soils, and polymers. The possible impact of suc-
cessful analytical developments is immense as it is these sample types that are the
most difficult to place into solution. In fact, it is only with new capabilities in these
areas that GD-MS will see growth in its user base. The three methods described
to
here all have strengths and weaknesses with regard sample form, sample prepa-
of
ration complexity, analysis time, analytical figures merit, and inforrnation con-
of
tent. It is hoped that this review has put many these attributes in a context that
will allow persons faced with the challenges of such to make decisions appropri-
ate to their problems at hand.

Financial support from the National Science Foundation for work in the Clemson
~niversity laboratory is gratefully acknowledged.

1. Alkemade, C. T. J.; Herrmann, R. Fundamental of Analytical Flame Spectroscopy.
Halsted Press: New York, 1979.
2. Koirtyohann, S. R.; Kaiser, M. L. Anal. Chem. 1982,54, 11 15A.