Development of a new sampling method by carbon-nanotube-based gecko tape for pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

•Using gecko tape as a sampling tool for Py-GC/MS causes changes in the analyte pyrolysis products.•All the reactants contain one double bond, and their reaction is mechanistically regular.•There is no difference in the components detected with and without gecko tape.

Carbon-nanotube-based gecko tape is a material that emulates the adhesive mechanism of geckos. This adhesive, which has excellent adhesive strength and heat resistance, was used as a sampling tool for collecting and holding samples for pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) to facilitate the sampling of small amounts of powder samples. Polystyrene and an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer were analyzed by Py-GC/MS using gecko tape. The resulting pyrograms were different from those normally obtained, and the composition of the pyrolysis products was changed. Based on these results, the thermal decomposition of samples analyzed using gecko tape was discussed, and the suitability of gecko tape as a sampling tool for Py-GC/MS was evaluated.