Rapid and simple determination of average molecular weight and composition of synthetic polymers via electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry and a Bayesian universal charge deconvolution.

Overall, the free and easy-to-use UniDec CDC algorithm provides a simple, alternative method to measuring MW and DP for polymeric materials without high solvent consumption, expensive ionization sources, or calibration curves. Information about the masses of individual oligomers and the possibility to further characterize these oligomers using tandem mass spectrometry and/or ion mobility techniques constitutes additional benefits of this approach vis-à-vis traditional MW and PDI elucidation through SEC.