TY - JOUR A1 - Dümichen, Erik A1 - Eisentraut, Paul A1 - Celina, M. A1 - Braun, Ulrike T1 - Automated thermal extraction-desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry: A multifunctional tool for comprehensive characterization of polymers and their degradation products N2 - The TED-GC-MS analysis is a two-step method. A sample is first decomposed in a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) and the gaseous decomposition products are then trapped on a solid-phase adsorber. Subsequently, the solid-phase adsorber is analyzed with thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TDU-GC-MS). This method is ideally suited for the analysis of polymers and their degradation processes. Here, a new entirely automated System is introduced which enables high sample throughput and reproducible automated fractioned collection of decomposition products. Strengths and limitations of the system configuration are elaborated via three examples focused on practical challenges in materials analysis and identification: i) separate analysis of the components of a wood-plastic-composite material, ii) quantitative determination of weight concentration of the constituents of a polymer blend and iii) quantitative analysis of model samples of microplastics in suspended particulate matter. KW - Thermal extraction-desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry KW - Analysis KW - Polymers KW - Microplastics KW - Automation PY - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2019.01.033 VL - 1592 SP - 133 EP - 142 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam AN - OPUS4-48287 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Campbell, C. G. A1 - Jordon Astorga, D. A1 - Dümichen, Erik A1 - Celina, M. T1 - Thermoset materials characterization by thermal desorption or pyrolysis based gas chromatography-mass spectrometry methods N2 - Thermoset materials characterization is often limited to solid state analytical techniques such as IR, NMR, DSC, TGA and mechanical testing. Alternatively, their off-gassing behavior can also be evaluated using GC based techniques such as TD-GC-MS, allowing this method to be applied to thermoset materials analyses such as identification, aging characterization, and formulation optimization. As an overview, common thermoset materials were evaluated by analyzing their gaseous degradation products via TGA-based pyrolysis and subsequent TD-GC-MS for the identification of representative volatile signatures. It is thereby possible to distinguish different classes of phenolic materials or cured epoxy resins, as well as their amine or anhydride curatives. Additionally, this method enabled quantification of a volatile fragment (bisphenol A, BPA) which is associated with oxidation of epoxy/amine thermoset materials. The amount of evolved BPA increased linearly with aging time and this trend exhibits linear Arrhenius behavior over the temperature range (80–125 °C) studied, in agreement with oxidation sensitivies based on oxygen consumption data. Further, TD-GC-MS was used to explore how off-gassing of residual anhydride curative from an epoxy/anhydride material depends on formulation stoichiometry. Even in formulations that theoretically contained enough epoxy to consume all anhydride (1:1 stoichiometry), an imperfect final cure state resulted in residual anhydride which could evolve from the material. For such materials, a slightly epoxy-rich formulation is required to ensure that the material contains no residual unreacted anhydride. Analysis of volatiles generated by thermal exposure is an attractive characterization approach enabling compositional analysis as well as complementary diagnostics for materials degradation. KW - Polymer analysis/characterization KW - Thermal desorption mass spectrometry KW - Thermoset composition KW - Volatiles from thermosets KW - Degradation signatures PY - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2019.109032 VL - 174 SP - 109032 PB - Elsevier Ltd. AN - OPUS4-50435 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Eisentraut, Paul A1 - Dümichen, Erik A1 - Ruhl, A. A1 - Jekel, M. A1 - Albrecht, M. A1 - Gehde, M. A1 - Braun, Ulrike T1 - Two Birds with One Stone-Fast and Simultaneous Analysis of Microplastics: Microparticles Derived from Thermoplastics and Tire Wear N2 - Analysis of microplastic particles (MP) in environmental samples needs sophisticated techniques and is time intensive due to sample preparation and detection. An alternative to the most common (micro ) spectroscopic techniques, FTIR or Raman spectroscopy, are the thermoanalytical methods, where specific decomposition products can be analyzed as marker compounds for different kind of plastics types and mass contents. Thermal extraction desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TED-GC-MS) allows the fast identification and quantification of MP in environmental samples without sample preparation. Whereas up to now only the analysis of thermoplastic polymers was realized, this is the first time that even the analysis of tire wear (TW) content in environmental samples is possible. Various marker compounds for TW were identified. They include characteristic decomposition products of elastomers, antioxidants and vulcanization agents. Advantages and drawbacks of these marker substances were evaluated. Environmental samples from street run off were exemplarily investigated and presented. KW - TED-GC-MS KW - Microplastic KW - Tire wear PY - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.8b00446 VL - 5 IS - 10 SP - 608 EP - 613 PB - American Chemical Society AN - OPUS4-46460 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -