Beside established spectroscopic characterization methods (divers NMR methods, IR and UV/VIS spectroscopy) methods for polymer and network characterization are used. For the Investigation of structure properties relationship modern methods like SEC with multi detection in different solvents, ESI/MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry, DSC, DMA, light scattering and swelling measurements of different kind are utilized. Further, methods as SPR (surface plasmon resonance) spectroscopy, AFM, QCM and cryo-SEM are used for functional examinations. Further information is gained by hyphenating different methods like SEC-ESI-ToF-MS.

Selected publications:

Analysis of sequence-defined oligomers through advanced polymer chromatography mass spectrometry hyphenation
M.-T. Picker, C. Mertens, F. Du Prez, T. D. Kühne, A. Herberg, D. Kuckling,
RSC Adv. 2020, 10, 35245-35252.

End Group Stability of Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP)-Synthesized Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide): Perspectives for Diblock Copolymer Synthesis
A. Herberg, X. Yu, D. Kuckling,
Polymers 2019, 11, 678.

Atmospheric Pressure Photo-Ionization Mass Spectrometry for the Detection of Labile End Groups in Poly(styrene)
D. Kuckling, M. Zukowski, T. Rösener, S. Herres-Pawlis,
Eur. Polym. J. 2017, 90, 209-219.