A study of the experimental effects on the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization
(MALDI) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometric analysis of polydisperse polymers is
presented, based on a time-lag focusing TOF configuration. Polydisperse polymers were
simulated with the preparation of multicomponent blends of polystyrene of narrow
polydispersity. Spectral collection was based on one sample preparation procedure. It is
shown that many experimental parameters give rise to mass discrimination in the signal …

Mass discrimination is generally observed in the analysis of polydisperse polymers by matrix-
assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry. Using
multicomponent blends of polystyrene of narrow polydispersity, instrumental effects on the
mass analysis of polydisperse polymers were investigated in a time-lag focusing linear TOF
mass spectrometer. It is shown that the lensing action provided by the source electrodes in
TOF gives rise to a mass-dependent distribution of ions in the plane of the microchannel …