Qualitative and quantitative analysis method for high molecular weight additive by using size-exclusion chromatography-pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

A method of analyzing a polymer resin sample, the polymer resins sample comprising a polymer resin and a high molecular weight additive containing a piperidine or a morpholine moiety, the method comprising the steps of:

• separating a fraction of the polymer resin sample using size exclusion chromatography (SEC), wherein the fraction corresponding to the high molecular weight additive;
• pyrolyzing the fraction in a pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometer (Py-GC/MS) to obtain a mass spectrum of the pyrolyzed fraction;
• identifying a structure of the high molecular weight additive by comparing m/z values for fragment peaks derived from the piperidine or the morpholine moiety in the mass spectrum to m/z values for fragment peaks derived from the piperidine or the mopholine moiety from a mass spectrum of a standard, the standard being a solution of the high molecular weight additive;
• and
• determining the amount of the high molecular weight additive in the polymer resin sample, relative to the total weight of the polymer resin sample by comparing a sum of areas of the fragment peaks to a calibration line, where the calibration line representing a sum of areas of the fragment peaks in the standard as a function of concentration of the standard,
• wherein the molecular weight of the high molecular weight additive is 1,000 to 4,000 g/mol.