Effect of Combined Changes in Delayed Extraction Time and Potential Gradient on the Mass Resolution and Ion Discrimination in the Analysis of Polydisperse Polymers and Polymer Blends by Delayed Extraction Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry

Data reported here show that, in the delayed extraction matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (DE-MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometric analysis of synthetic polydisperse polymers, differentexperimental conditions of spectral recording are required to optimize the signal in all them/zregions ofthe spectrum. The effect of combined changes in delay time and grid voltage % values on both massresolution and mass accuracy of DE spectra of a polyethylene glycol sample (PEGmix, with a well-definedmolar distribution of its components) is discussed. The necessity of a compromise between the values ofthese two parameters is shown. Furthermore, the occurrence of analyte discrimination, which can invalidatethe composition analysis especially in the case of polymer blends, is demonstrated.