Characterization of copolymers of methacrylic acid with poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate macromonomers by analytical pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS)

Poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate macromonomers (ME-PEG350-MA) and their copolymers with methacrylic acid (MAA) were characterized by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and by analytical pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) at 550 °C, respectively. The separated compounds were identified by using the mass spectral library and by calculation of increments of the retention indices in programmed gas chromatography. The obtained analytical results were then used to calculate the average degrees of ethoxylation of the investigated macromonomers and copolymers.