Positive secondary ion mass spectrum of poly(methyl methacrylate): a high mass resolution ToF-SIMS study

The positive SIMS spectrum of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) has been obt ained with a mass resolution in excess of 8000 and all the components assig ned up to m/z 200 based on accurate mass measurements. Aspects of the inter pretation of the spectrum, previously based on quadrupole SIMS data from a number of acrylic polymers, need to be revised significantly. In particular , the spectrum is dominated by oxygen-containing fragments derived from oli gomeric units rather than hydrocarbon fragments derived from the polymer ba ckbone. To aid further the understanding of the fragmentation of acrylic po lymers, a less-detailed study of poly(methyl acrylate) has also been carrie d out. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiiey & Sons, Ltd.