Identification of polar monomers in poly acrylate dispersions with pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

Several polar comonomers, e.g. (meth)acrylic acid and the hydroxyethyl ester of methacrylic acid, have been identified at the 3% level in polyacrylate copolymers by a combination of a chemical derivatisation to protect the polar groups and a Py-Gc/MS-analysis. Other polar monomers with two active hydrogens e.g. acrylamide, could not be observed in this way. A reproducibility of 6% was obtained for major monomers and a reproducibility of 10% for monomers at the 3% level.